Chadchart welcomes UTCC’s 6-point proposal on improving Bangkok
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has come up with six guidelines to help improve the capital, and the proposal was welcomed by Bangkok’s new governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
UTCC chairman Sanan Angubolkul said on Friday that Chadchart and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) execs were also invited to discuss the proposal with the university’s board and the Young Entrepreneur Chamber of Commerce.
The six guidelines are:
• Set up a public-private board to create a strategy to boost Bangkok’s competitive abilities and decrease inequality. For instance, turning Bangkok into a smart city or making it easier for residents to get documents.
• Create an ecosystem that helps business operators, like street food vendors, contribute to the improvement of Bangkok.
• Prepare to host APEC 2022 in November. UTCC, which will participate in the APEC CEO Summit, has called on the BMA to improve road conditions as well as venues.
• Train teachers in BMA schools to become active global citizens with a better thought process, analysis abilities and knowledge about social issues. It is also important to teach Mandarin to students at the 400 BMA schools.
• Review the median price of government procurement processes because the current median price does not reflect the real price and can affect several ongoing projects. UTCC urged Chadchart to discuss this issue with the Comptroller General’s Department.
• Get BMA execs to join the Top Executive Program on China Business Insights and Network course. This course provides lessons on trading, investment and tourism between the two countries. Chadchart has apparently voiced interest in having the BMA permanent secretary attend this course.
While welcoming the proposal, Chadchart said several points are already included in the BMA guidelines. However, he said, his key principle is to listen to the private sector and get them to participate.
As for the joint public-private sector board, he said it should be established in two weeks, adding that capable people should help improve Bangkok.
He added that Bangkok’s street-food scene is interesting because it affects people’s livelihoods and work on it will begin in a month.