⛈️ Stay dry! Nearby construction was ordered to halt after Friday's MRT flood. BTS is reportedly considering bringing back trip packages. For national political updates in English, I’d recommend reading Ken Lohatepanont’s “The Coffee Parliament.”

🙏 Thanks to Philip Sherwell, our newest Senior Soi Builder! You can support Soiciety by joining the Soi Crew — I’m brainstorming premium perks for paid supporters.

That’s how many people voted for Siam Paragon’s restrooms, crowning them the “People’s Choice” winner in the Health Department’s best public bathrooms competition.

Big picture: The initiative was aimed at incentivizing public and private entities to keep their bathrooms clean and safe. The competition drew 227 nominations. Twenty-four received the “Best Bathroom” award, while 42 others won the “Outstanding Standard” award.

For the popular vote, Siam Paragon received 7,082 votes, followed by Wat Rakhang Khositaram Woramahawihan with 4,632 votes, Department of Social Development and Welfare with 3,734, The Government Complex with 3,518 and Land Department in Bang Khen with 1,973.

Dig deeper: Use this map to see this year’s ranking and this map to view all 1,424 public bathrooms in Bangkok.

A mass fish kill in Thonburi’s Samre Canal in Thonburi has prompted finger-pointing among residents, City hall, the transit agency and the Purple Line extension contractor.

Why it matters: It underscores the environmental toll of Bangkok’s mega-projects.

Driving the news: Hundreds of dead fish were found floating near the canal floodgate last week, according to a Traffy Fondue complaint. The report alleged the Purple Line contractor had poured cement wastewater into the canal.

The other side: The Drainage and Sewerage Department said the deaths may have been caused by bentonite contamination. The MRTA suggested low oxygen from rapid sluice-gate operations by the city could be to blame.

Enforcement: The Thonburi District Office fined contractor Unique Engineering and Construction PCL for releasing contaminated wastewater in violation of the Cleanliness Act.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said the exact cause remains under investigation.

What’s next: Chadchart ordered city officials to coordinate gate operation with the contractor and directed the company to dredge the affected section of the canal within three days.

Bangkok will begin billing thousands of businesses this month for wastewater treatment under a "polluter pays" model to help clean city waterways.

Why it matters: The fee helps cover the 800 million baht annual cost of wastewater facilities, making management more sustainable and holding major polluters accountable.

Details: Phase one targets about 2,600 businesses across 22 districts served by eight major water treatment plants. Affected businesses include hotels, factories and any site using more than 2,000 cubic meters of water per month.

Zooming out: Rates for smaller users are set, too, but exempt during rollout — unless they opt in or have already used the service. Households are exempt for now; keep an eye on future phases.

The electric boat service on the Saen Saep Canal extension, running between Wat Sriboonreung and Minburi District Office piers, will cease operations at the end of September, operators announced.

Big picture: Launched in 2022 by the previous administration, the line averaged fewer than 400 riders a day. The 10.5-kilometer route covers 12 piers and takes about an hour end-to-end.

What they’re saying: “Every smile, every conversation and every memory is a precious thing we will cherish with pride,” operators said in their announcement. “Even though this journey has ended, the bond and good memories will remain in our hearts forever.”

If you’re relying on this service, plan alternate trips along Rankhamhaeng/Lat Phrao corridors.

Bangkok is overhauling its stray-animal approach, launching a renovated Prawet animal shelter to spearhead a more humane, welfare-focused strategy that promotes adoption and responsible pet ownership.

Why it matters: It’s part of a broader push to regulate the animal population, requiring pets to be microchipped and registered (see Soiciety’s explainer on that here).

By the numbers: Bann Prawet can accommodate about 1,000 dogs and 300 cats. However, fewer than 500 animals have been adopted in the last two years — a rate officials described as “a challenge.”

What they’re saying: SOS Animal Thailand said the center now meets international standards for animal care, health screening and behavior adjustment to prepare animals for adoption.

There’s talk and confusion among non-Thai residents about bank requirements and stricter polices, especially at Bangkok Bank, a response to mule accounts opened by individuals on tourist visas, according to reports.

I reached out to major banks, asking what the current requirements are for opening a bank account for a non-Thai. Here's what they said:

Big picture: The days of opening a Thai bank account with just a tourist visa are now over. Every major bank now requires a non-immigrant visa and verifiable proof of your long-term, legal purpose for being in Thailand.

🔵 Bangkok Bank: The bank didn’t confirm the policy changes through a press inquiry, but said non-Thais must have a clear reason for opening a savings account and documentation to back it up. A tourist visa is not accepted.

🟢 Kasikorn Bank: KBank provided a detailed list of requirements. The main takeaway is that you need a long-term, legitimate reason to be in the country. Tourist visas and visas on arrival can’t be used.

🟣 SCB: The bank’s requirements are straightforward and center on having a work permit. You need at least three items: a passport, a work permit that’s valid for more than a year and other documents that support your reason for opening the account.

🟡 Bank of Ayudhya: The bank suggested non-Thais bring their passport, work permit, their non-immigrant visa or smart visa, on top of an additional verification document such as a letter from the embassy, a letter from the United Nations, an employment letter or notarized ID verification.

Bottom line: Your experience can still vary by branch. The best advice is to call your specific branch ahead of your visit to explain your visa status and confirm the exact documents.

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