Chadchart to decide on second Bangkok run after general election

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Friday, January 2, that he has not yet decided whether he will run again in the next Bangkok gubernatorial election, adding that he wants to see how national politics looks after the 2026 general election.

Speaking at 7.50am at Lumpini Park, Chadchart said that if he does stand again, it would be in a personal capacity rather than under any political party banner. He said the next four years would be especially important because the world is changing rapidly, and any second-term bid would need a clear set of policies that can build on his administration’s work.

He said he is still weighing whether he has “good answers” for Bangkok residents for the next four years, and that he and his team are currently brainstorming to refine policies and direction.

Asked what policies he would seek to extend if he runs again, Chadchart said the priority is improving Bangkok’s overall efficiency. While he said the situation has started to improve, challenges remain—particularly around city performance, transparency and corruption, and traffic congestion.

He said technology could be applied more effectively to make Bangkok a more efficient city that better meets people’s needs, but added that legal changes must go hand in hand with technology and improved public services—work that takes time regardless of who is in charge.

Asked whether he would keep the same team, Chadchart said there is no need to change things if there are no problems, and he would likely continue with the current team. 

However, he repeated that he wants to wait until after the general election and assess the political situation to determine whether he can offer strong answers for the next four years.

Asked about comments that he had been seen exercising alongside Yodchanan Wongsawat, Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate, Chadchart laughed and said it was simply a coincidence.

He said he runs every weekend and typically uses two parks—Benjakitti Park and Lumpini Park—but had gone to check the Green Bridge area at Benjakitti after noticing there was a lot of dog faeces, and happened to meet Yodchanan there.

Chadchart added that he would like to see politicians from all parties exercise more, and urged them to push public-park policies, saying parks are crucial to improving public health. He said he sees public parks as no less important than hospitals, describing them as a form of early prevention.

He said every province and district should have good public parks where people can exercise, and said he had discussed the issue with Yodchanan while running. 

Chadchart said this would require investment in infrastructure—such as walkways, more trees and better landscaping—so that residents have accessible green space, improve their health, and reduce medical expenses in the long run.