🗳️ Happy election day! Here’s an analysis of why voters keep voting for the change that never comes. Are you a trader? Here’s a guide on the election as leaders promise stimulus. Check out where to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

📌 Note: There won’t be an issue next Sunday, as I’ll be taking a week off!

That’s the total number of Bangkok intersections that have received “adaptive control” traffic technology, which the city says is cutting the red light wait time by half.

Why it matters: Most of the city's 500 timed intersections are controlled manually by traffic police. The administration notes these often fail to reflect real-time surges, leading to deadlocks.

Zooming in: Officials report that wait times at the Sukhumvit 71 and Phra Khanong intersections have been cut from 12 to six minutes during peak hours.

Between the lines: The technology syncs data between area intersections to ensure that clearing one bottleneck doesn’t just push the traffic into the next intersection.

What to watch: The city plans to deploy this at 200 more intersections this year.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Council is moving forward with a landmark bill to establish a dedicated 25-million-baht fund for residents with disabilities.

Why it matters: This would be the first time Bangkok has its own specific legislation to support people with disabilities, potentially providing more direct and faster assistance than national programs.

Yes, but… The bill has triggered a tug-of-war with the city’s administration over financial sustainability and overlap with the central government.

Big picture: The bill mandates the city to provide 25 million baht to kickstart the fund. The money is earmarked for medical rehabilitation, vocational training, education and modifying homes to improve accessibility.

The friction: While the Chadchart administration supports the bill’s spirit, city officials have raised concerns over its financial logic, according to memos Soiciety reviewed.

What’s next: The BMC approved the draft bill in its first reading last Wednesday. It’s now in committee before it returns for a final vote after 60 days.

Bangkok has officially opened the two-story underground garage at Lan Khon Mueang to the public this month.

Why it matters: Located in front of City Hall and the Giant Swing, this 500-capacity lot was previously reserved for government officials, often sitting empty on weekends while visitors circled the block to find a parking space.

The details: The lot is open to the public Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays. Cars pay 20 baht per hour for the first five hours and 30 baht per hour thereafter. Motorcycles park for free.

Zooming in: The garage has 66 public bathrooms, too.

Voters are voting today in a general election and a referendum. Following a 87.6% turnout and error-prone early voting last Sunday, City Hall has spent the week refining logistics to restore voter confidence.

Why it matters: Public trust in election integrity is under pressure with widespread errors last week.

By the numbers: Legal NGO iLaw received 458 reports of abnormalities from within Bangkok sites last week (and 1,040 reports nationwide), with the highest cause of concern being officials using incorrect district codes.

Big picture: Clerical errors were the top concern. Other reported issues include technical QR code glitches that showed incorrect candidate information and difficulty in confirming the registration.

What’s next: The city is using feedback from the early voting to better manage traffic and staff attentiveness across all 6,530 voting sites. Polls open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Officials estimate that unofficial results will be available as early as 8 p.m. tonight.

👀 Here are the candidates for Bangkok’s 33 districts.

City officials are expanding the city’s heat escape network as forecasts predict that 2026 will be hotter and drier than last year.

Why it matters: Summer is expected to begin late February. Meteorologists predict Bangkok’s temperature can reach 39 degrees at its peak, when the usual average summer temperature is 35.4 degrees. Rainfall is expected to be 30-40% below normal levels.

State of play: The city plans to open up 182 air-conditioned rooms across district offices, health centers and public libraries as cooling centers, along with 2,800 water fountains.

What’s next: Residents are advised to monitor the heat index, which reflects how it actually feels due to humidity, rather than just the thermometer.

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