Survey of Foreign Residents Views: Key Issues the New Bangkok Governor Must Address

"Traffic congestion, cleanliness, poor urban planning"—a survey of foreign residents reveals key problems they want the new Bangkok governor to address.

On 28 June 2026, over 4.5 million Bangkok residents are scheduled to vote for a new governor. The administration of this new governor will affect many groups, not only eligible voters but also all residents of the capital, including those registered, unregistered populations, and tens of millions of foreigners who visit, invest, or live in Bangkok.

Data from the Euromonitor International Top 100 City Destinations Index shows that in 2025, Bangkok ranked first worldwide with about 30.3 million international tourists, surpassing London, Paris, and Dubai.

Thairath Online surveyed foreign visitors at the Chatuchak Weekend Market, asking what they see as the biggest or most important problem in Bangkok that the new governor should urgently solve.

Cleanliness issues

• Huang from China Brief but to the point: "Toilets" are a major problem, especially the lack of sufficient public restrooms, which are hard to find and often unclean.
• Ofri from Israel pointed to "the garbage problem" and suggested increasing the number of trash bins to cover the city more effectively.
• Ayup from Morocco rated Bangkok's cleanliness only 5 out of 10.
• Fatma from Pakistan reflected that the roadside trash emits unpleasant odors, making people reluctant to walk by.
• Francesco from Italy believes Bangkok’s canals should be cleaner to improve water transport efficiency.
• Kaylan from the United States a young man living in Thailand for three years, emphasized "air pollution" especially dust and smoke, as the most urgent health hazard to address.

Urban planning and traffic issues

• Paston from Hong Kong wants improvements to drainage systems because heavy rain causes flooding that covers sidewalks, making walking impossible.
• Tee from Hong Kong who uses a walker boot, calls for better sidewalks, stairs, and ramps to support all pedestrians.
• Pasu from Hong Kong questions the Free Wi-Fi service, suggesting it should be more accessible to residents and tourists.
• Mevis from Malaysia revealed that traffic jams disrupt travel schedules.
• Muhammed from Saudi Arabia who has visited Thailand 11 times, proposed increasing bus numbers to ease traffic congestion but understands his own country faces similar problems.
• Martin from Australia noted problems with traffic jams and public transportation.
• Avery from the United States expressed concerns about road safety, especially at intersections, following news of a recent accident where a train hit a bus in Bangkok.

Rights and policy issues

• Sophie from Germany called for serious efforts to eradicate sex tourism in Bangkok. She confirmed this industry exists and believes it involves exploitation, oppression, and human trafficking, which is not a sustainable way to boost the economy.
• Ju and Junet from Vietnam wish to see Bangkok become more pet-friendly, including better spaces for pets and care for stray animals.
• Catherine from Australia highlighted the problem of insufficient income. She observed people working from early morning till evening but still earning too little to cover living costs. She hopes the governor will find ways to raise incomes to match the rising cost of living.
• Will from Australia suggested improving Thais’ English communication skills to reduce international communication barriers.

From discussions with these foreign groups,all voices reflect issues they encounter and their hope that Bangkok will quickly address them. Solving these problems will not only improve the quality of life for millions of Bangkok residents but also benefit those who live in or visit the capital.