The Bangkok Metropolitan Council approved new regulations allowing live broadcasts of committee meetings to enhance transparency. People’s Party councilors are preparing to scrutinize the 2027 Bangkok budget and continue pushing for live broadcasts of the budget committee sessions.
On 31 July 2026, during a Bangkok Metropolitan Council meeting, a motion was considered proposing amendments to the council’s meeting regulations. The proposal was submitted by Chatchai Moddee, People’s Party councilor for Bang Na district, during the second and third readings.
This followed the council’s approval of the first reading of the amendment on 22 July 2026. The key point of the draft is to establish that committee meetings shall be open sessions, and the chairperson may order live broadcasts if deemed appropriate.
During the second reading, council members debated details such as voting methods, broadcasting tools, and the scope of responsibility for live broadcasts. Subsequently, in the third reading, the council approved the amendment with 40 votes in favor and 4 abstentions.
After the vote, all 22 People’s Party councilors held a press conference where Chatchai said this was a policy promise made to the public during the election campaign, which has now been successfully implemented. The amendment’s key point is enabling live broadcasts of committee meetings to increase the Bangkok Council’s transparency.
He expressed gratitude to the 40 council members who supported the amendment and affirmed that the People’s Party would continue to push other important agendas promised to the public, especially closely monitoring the efficient use of Bangkok’s budget.
Chatchai added that during the council sessions on 3-4 August 2026, which will consider the 2027 budget draft, all 22 People’s Party councilors will rigorously scrutinize spending. Meanwhile, 16 new councilors will present the concerns and needs of their constituencies to ensure budget allocations address local priorities.
At the same time, the People’s Party invited interested citizens to join a Budget Hack event on 8 August 2026, organized by the Bangkok Council president, to collectively audit and analyze Bangkok’s budget. This initiative aims to further enhance transparency in budget allocation and council operations.
At the end of the press conference, Chatchai stated that after the regulation amendment’s success, the People’s Party will push for live broadcasts of special budget committee meetings and propose appointing five external experts as commissioners. These knowledgeable individuals will help improve the effectiveness of Bangkok’s budget review process.
