🗞️ Good morning! The House of Representatives was dissolved, forcing a general election early next year. Here’s a recap of what led to it and what it means for existing bills, including the Clean Air bill.

🙏 Thanks to recent paid supporters: Richard Tonkin and Scott Coates as Soi Builders, Dennis Hunziker as a Senior Soi Builder and Michael Chan as a Soi Visionary.

📌 Soiciety’s 2025 Tax Guide went live last week. Get your copy and arm yourself with accessible, verified legal facts for 10% of the cost of a lawyer or accountant consultation now. The discount ends this Wednesday.

That’s the percentage of residents who say the city’s economy and cost of living have been handled “not well” or “not well at all” under Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt, according to a new NIDA poll.

Why it matters: It’s the only failing grade in an otherwise high 3.5-year performance review. He holds a 78.4% approval rating, a few points higher than his three-year polling.

Yes, but… The governor has limited direct power over the macroeconomy compared to the central government, but local officials are often the first in line for resident complaints.

By the numbers: Residents gave high marks to Chadchart’s physical improvements to the city, with 77% approving of sidewalk organization, 75% for new green spaces and 64% for flood management.

What he’s saying: Chadchart said the lack of a clear competitor in the 2026 election might be inflating his popularity. On the economy, he said the city must find ways to help, including creating spaces for hawkers and vocational training to help residents earn more.

Residents and volunteers recommended three key fixes for Bangkok’s unsafe crosswalks: uniform road design, stricter enforcement and a citizen-bounty system.

Why it matters: Road accidents are the country’s fifth-leading cause of death, killing more people than diabetes or respiratory diseases. Still, 89% of drivers don’t stop at a crosswalk, a survey shows.

Driving the news: A parliamentary committee on public participation hosted a public seminar earlier this month to gather input from residents, academics and volunteer teams. The resulting proposal outlines three pillars to overhaul the city’s streets:

Big picture: Enforcement is a major bottleneck. There are about 50 automated license plate recognition cameras at crosswalks in Bangkok, compared to about 3,000 crossings citywide, according to the Royal Thai Police.

Yes, but… Only 10% of detected offenders actually receive a ticket due to the high administrative costs of printing tickets, mailing them and following up with notices.

The intrigue: A driver can ignore stopping at a crosswalk more than 700 times before having their license suspended, given the low odds of being caught and the current point deduction system, according to the committee’s data.

Flashback: Crosswalk safety has dogged Bangkok for years, but the issue exploded into the national consciousness in 2022 following the death of an ophthalmologist struck while crossing in Phaya Thai.

The Transport Ministry seeks to consolidate Bangkok’s fragmented electric train network into the Mass Rapid Transit Authority to pave the way for a fare cap and a single-ticket system.

Why it matters: Bangkok’s trains are a patchwork of operators with different contracts. Private firms currently keep the revenue for the main lines. This makes it difficult for the government to lower prices or integrate ticketing without heavy compensation.

State of play: The ministry wants to buy back the concessions for the Green, Blue, Pink and Yellow lines and re-negotiate so the government would collect all fare revenue and pay the private operators a fixed fee to run trains and maintain tracks.

The other side: Critics warn this deal looks more like a corporate bailout, arguing buying back concessions would essentially shift private losses from low ridership on the Blue, Yellow and Pink lines directly onto taxpayers.

Zooming out: State-owned lines like the Red and Gold lines won’t be bought back. Instead, their management rights will be transferred to the MRTA to unify the system. The Purple Line is already under MRTA management. The Airport Rail Link is excluded for now.

New data from the city’s health checkup project reveals nearly 60% of the capital’s population is overweight or obese, prompting City Hall to launch health intervention initiatives.

Why it matters: These initiatives shifted the city’s strategy from medical treatment to urban design and behavioral nudges.

By the numbers: While Thailand’s national obesity rate is around 40%, Bangkok’s rate surges to about 58% due to sedentary urban lifestyles. Over 20% of Bangkok’s children are currently obese.

State of play: The city signed a “Bangkok, City for Better Health” agreement with the Danish embassy and Novo Nordisk to adapt Scandinavian health models, including adding more “active zones” — such as pickleball and outdoor gyms — to public spaces.

In schools: A new curriculum titled “Don’t Let Children Get Fat” is being piloted in a few Bangkok-run schools. Teachers would act as “nudge agents” to guide students through three modules: food and nutrition, physical activity and sleep hygiene.

City Hall has ordered all 50 districts to strictly enforce a ban on unauthorized fireworks, sky lanterns and similar pyrotechnics this New Year’s to prevent fires and injuries.

Why it matters: Authorities are focusing on curbing accidents and fire hazards. Violating the ban carries penalties of up to three years in prison, a 60,000-baht fine or both

How it works: Lighting fireworks is prohibited unless you obtain district permission 15 days in advance, with a safety plan in place. Approved displays are strictly limited to a two-hour window: 11:00 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 1:00 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Need a small, easy-to-wrap Christmas gift for your friends? Bangkok Snow Removal has a selection of fridge magnets (5×9 cm) to choose from, with six designs on sale until the end of the year at 150 baht each, including domestic shipping.

🖼️ The six designs on sale feature Wat Arun on a snowy day, a romantic freezing dinner cruise, disgruntled motorcycle taxi drivers, a cozy winter evening at 7/11, locals slipping into a songthaew and cold tuk-tuk drivers waiting for a fare.

🛒 To order, send your details and preferred designs to [email protected], and you can pay via local bank transfer upon arrival.

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📧 Reach me at [email protected].