Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), together with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and the Japan International Association for the Industry of Building and Housing: (JIBH) host a “Seminar on Sustainable Buildings and Cities” on Thursday, 18th January 2024 from 10.00 - 17.00 hrs. at the Grand Hall, the Athenee Hotel, Pathumwan District, Bangkok.
The seminar is divided into the Business Session in the morning and the Policy Session in the afternoon. The Business Session is the introduction and presentation of technologies by Japanese firms that can contribute to the sustainability and liveability of Bangkok. On this occasion, Asst. Prof. Kessara Thanyalakpark, Advisor to the Governor of Bangkok and a closing remark speaker of the Business Section, emphasizes the importance of seeking cooperation from various networks and partners since it helps achieve the vision of the BMA “Bangkok: a Livable City for All” becomes a reality. She believes that making a sustainable and environmentally friendly society requires both experience and the utilization of advanced technology.
In the Policy Session are keynote speeches and panel discussions from various sectors to promote the development of sustainable buildings and cities. Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok who has been nominated as a Champion Mayor by the OECD for promoting inclusive growth through enhancing sustainability of the food system, net zero by 2050, and increased transparency, gives a keynote speech on “Bangkok: a Livable City for All”. He notes that in order to make Bangkok a truly livable city for all, the BMA must cope with all the capillary-level problems that can be found throughout Bangkok. There are a lot of BMA initiatives that are created to tackle those problems. For instance, renovating walkways to align with universal design requirements, improving connectivity between walkways and skywalks, creating bike lanes and a bike sharing project for bicycle users, using porous asphalt for walkways to reduce the chance of flooding and provide water for the trees on the walkways. Improving and developing public parks throughout Bangkok, using small-sized garbage collection vehicles for narrow alleys, using foldable garbage bins which are inspired by the garbage bins in Japan, and dredging and cleaning sewers to help increase efficiency in wastewater drainage. In this afternoon session, Mr. Tatsuo Igarashi, Mayor of Tsukuba City, who is also a Champion Mayor by the OECD, gave a keynote speech on “Tsukuba City's Initiative for Smart City and Decarbonization Leading Area” and presented various ideas that make Tsukuba a smart city, such as electronic voting, bridge inspection by using a drone, utilizing grass and tree branches to make briquettes as fuel, and collecting waste oil from households as fuel for heat production.
In the first panel discussion on the topic “Zero-carbon housing, buildings and cities”, Mr. Manaswee Arayasiri, Sanitary Engineer (Professional Level), Construction Design Office, Public Works Department, is a representative from the BMA as one of the panelists in the discussion. In the second panel discussion on the topic “Inclusive growth in smart cities”, Mr. Witoon Apisitpuvakul, Director-General of the Strategy and Evaluation Department, is a representative from the BMA as one of the panelists in the discussion. Mr. Pornphrom Vikitsreth, Adviser to the Governor of Bangkok and the first Chief Sustainability Officer of the BMA, is the seminar’s honorable guest and a closing remark speaker of the seminar. He states on being inspired by various ideas and perspectives that have been shared on the stage and how each speaker has contributed valuable insights which can make Bangkok a more sustainable and livable city for all, and states that the BMA will build upon these ideas and work together to make Bangkok more livable than ever before.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), together with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and the Japan International Association for the Industry of Building and Housing: (JIBH) host a “Seminar on Sustainable Buildings and Cities” on Thursday, 18th January 2024 from 10.00 - 17.00 hrs. at the Grand Hall, the Athenee Hotel, Pathumwan District, Bangkok.
Governor of Bangkok Delivers a Keynote Speech in the Seminar on Sustainable Buildings and Cities
