🚶 Good morning! Soiciety is hosting walks on June 20 and June 27 through the Asoke corridor to look at urban problems facing the city, why they go unfixed and what candidates are promising. Hope to see you there — RSVP here.

More than 1,400 cyclists took the streets for the #TogetherWeRide event on June 6, taking up space on car-centric roads through Ratchadamnoen, Democracy Monument, Yaowarat and Sao Ching Cha.

Why it matters: It was the largest cycling gathering in Bangkok over a decade, according to the Bangkok Urban Cycling Alliance.

Between the lines: Advocates want the next governor to treat bike infrastructure as mobility, not leisure. That means dedicated lanes and a connected network.

Rocket Media Lab has released its annual livability ranking of all 50 Bangkok districts, scoring them on public services, the economy, safety and the environment.

Why it matters: It’s one of the few data-driven snapshots of where each district stands.

The five most livable districts are Pathumwan, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok Noi, Samphanthawong and Bang Rak. The five least livable, from the bottom, are Din Daeng, Wang Thonglang, Bang Khen, Lat Prao and Bueng Kum.

Between the lines: Pathumwan won overall due to city-high scores in economy and public services. But it ranks 47th on the environment, generating the most waste and wastewater despite having the most parks.

Zooming in: Din Daeng was No. 32 last year. This year, it saw the steepest safety drop of any district — from No. 26 to No. 46 — and fell on public services, landing at No. 50 overall.

Go deeper: The interactive index lets you map your district, compare it with others and view strengths and weaknesses across all 16 indicators.

📊 Explore the ranking in English (via Google Translate) here.

Bangkok officials warn that every private sewage truck operating in the city is illegal and overcharging residents.

Why it matters: Private operators advertise on social media and charge 5-10 times the city rate. Unlike provinces, Bangkok doesn’t license private sewage companies.

Driving the news: Ratchathewi District officials raided a site on Kamphaeng Phet 5 Road last week and found about 20 unlicensed trucks ready for jobs.

By the numbers: City-run sewage service costs 600 baht per cubic meter (1,000 liters). A 3,000-liter job runs 1,800 baht. Private operators charge 2-4 baht per liter, meaning the same job can cost up to 12,000 baht, the district said.

What to do: To get the service, book through your district office. City trucks are yellow with the Bangkok logo.

Two years after Bangkok’s biggest procurement corruption case broke, its disciplinary outcome has become a flashpoint in the governor’s race.

Why it matters: It puts corruption at the center of a campaign against a popular administration. Former Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt’s supporters say the timing is political.

What happened: City officials allegedly rigged fitness equipment specs across 24 projects, steering contracts to a single vendor network. Among others, treadmills were priced at 750,000 baht each. The total damage was 103.2 million baht.

State of play: An internal committee investigated 32 officials, cleared 20 people and found the remaining 12 guilty of a minor disciplinary offence. They were fined 2% of their monthly salary, roughly 600 baht each.

Between the lines: People’s Party MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt noted that Chadchart appointed the committee that produced the findings and that the investigation only covered seven of the 24 flagged projects.

The other side: Chadchart said he rejected the findings and ordered a review last year, adding he lacked authority to directly instruct the disciplinary committee. The case is ongoing.

Several Bangkok gubernatorial candidates are pledging to crack down on migrant workers in jobs reserved for Thais.

Why it matters: Labor enforcement sits with the Immigration Bureau and the Labor Ministry, not City Hall. Still, candidates say voters and vendors are raising the issue on the trail.

What they’re saying: The Democrats are targeting foreign street vendors subletting Thai permits. Independent Mallika Boonmitrakul Mahasuk has promised a dedicated enforcement team. The Economic Party has vowed to crack down on alleged law enforcement “bribery.”

Flashback: This isn’t new. City councilors have raised the issue for years, demanding audits of vendor concession spots where permit holders were suspected of subletting to foreign nationals.

👀 Dig deeper: Thailand depends on migrant workers. Why the backlash?

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