Showing 1 - 10 of 41
City slum clusters demand special care
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 06/05/2021
» Just when we were made to believe that the Thong Lor cluster had subsided, the Klong Toey cluster emerged.
Thainess and surf-skating, a safe match?
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 01/04/2021
» The "Rattana Go Surf" surf-skating group, with the presence of a woman politician and luminaries who showcased their surf-skating skills on the city streets last Sunday caused a stir. It's no surprise. In contrast to the latest trend of surf-skating in Thailand, Sunday's crowd turned up in traditional Thai attire, while some women also showed up in Thai-style strapless tops and other participants put on royal-patterned shirts. I can only imagine how suffocating it would have been wearing costumes which are obviously not appropriate for sports. Not to mention, several joined the risky sport without protective gear, such as helmets, all while trying to balance themselves on a skateboard, side by side with moving cars and other motorised vehicles.
Shutting down Hua Lamphong not a bright idea
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 03/02/2021
» When was your last train trip to somewhere in Thailand? Maybe in the last decade or two? Or maybe you cannot remember?
BMA's Green Line fares are unforgivable
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 20/01/2021
» The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) plan to raise the Green Line's fare ceiling to the absolute maximum, at over 100 baht, from the original 65 baht, has triggered an avalanche of criticism.
Gimme shelter as we wait for fewer buses
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 26/11/2020
» When I saw City Hall calling for new Bangkok bus stop designs, I was excited. The voices of regular people like millions of bus commuters would finally be heard. But when I went through the competition's requirements, I wasn't sure if there was anything worth celebrating.
Govt gets it all wrong in closing down train lines
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 21/10/2020
» Should I, or should I not, take the train today?" might be the question du jour for city commuters right now. Apart from checking if a train is running or delayed, commuters find it helps to remain flexible in case authorities suddenly order the train services to temporarily shut. Such has been the response to the pro-democracy rallies that have erupted daily since the Oct 15 crackdown, when riot police used water cannon to disperse crowds.
Too many lives being lost at train crossings
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 16/10/2020
» It was Sunday morning and a group of Buddhists from Samut Prakan were on their way to make merit at a temple in Chachoengsao. Yet the trip ended in a tragedy as their vehicle crashed into a freight train. Altogether, 19 were killed and a few dozen injured.
Car-free day? Do as we say, not as we do
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 01/10/2020
» A few days before World Car-Free Day (WCFD) which fell last Tuesday, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang tried to encourage city commuters to either carpool or leave their private cars at home and take public transportation.
More of city soul falls victim to 'gentrification'
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 10/09/2020
» At the same time when thousands of shoppers and netizens lamented the closure of 28-year-old Isetan Department Store, Bangkok lost one of its oldest food shops in Bang Rak district, known for its authentic khao mok gai (Thai chicken biryani) and oxtail soup.
'Smart city' plan or is it the eve of destruction?
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 23/07/2020
» Upon hearing that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched an initiative to make Bangkok's old town in the Rattanakosin area a smart city, I became curious. What does the agency have in mind when it thinks of "smart city"?