💬 Good morning! I’m holding 30-minute reader interviews this month. Book a slot to share feedback for Soiciety or a story idea.

🩺 An interesting read: Thai doctors fear a KFC jinx, the New York Times reports. A study published this year found eating KFC doesn’t, in fact, lead to more work for them.

A fire damaged 73 houses in the Pattana Bon Kai community, located next to One Bangkok, last week, affecting more than 280 individuals.

Why it matters: Fire spread fast in dense communities. Rows of attached wooden houses along narrow sois let flames move quickly. Firefighters took more than an hour to bring this one under control.

Zooming out: The city’s goal is to reach any fire within eight minutes. Fire officials said staffing and equipment shortages, narrow roads and station coverage gaps make that hard to meet.

What’s next: Investigators are determining the cause. The city is working with Thai Red Cross and charity foundations on longer-term recovery aid.

👀 Soiciety plans a walk on why Bangkok fires spread and why response times miss the eight-minute goal. Reply to this email if you’re interested.

A People’s Party proposal to expand the Bangkok Metropolitan Council oversight stalled Wednesday when opposing councilors walked out before final votes, leaving the council without a quorum.

Driving the news: The proposed amendment targets special committees under the council’s rules of procedure. The most contested change would cut the governor’s share of nominees from up to half to up to 25%.

Why it matters: Special committees can amend proposed laws and cut budgets. The council forms them to study issues, investigate and review draft ordinances.

Yes, but… Opponents said committees need the governor’s appointees for information and the view of officials who carry out policy. They added that half is a ceiling, not a requirement.

The tension: A vote to skip committee review and pass the amendment in all three readings at once tied 23-23. Chair Pattaraporn Keungrungreuchai, also of the People’s Party, cast a second, tie-breaking vote in favor, as council rules allow.

State of play: After that vote, some councilors said the chair should stay nonpartisan. Opposing councilors then walked out, and the measure awaits second and third readings.

Between the lines: The current council’s rules of procedure predate elected councilors. They were adopted in 2019, when the military government appointed its members.

What’s next: The council is expected to resume before Nov. 14. Pattaraporn extended the session, which ended Oct. 30, through that date. An opposing councilor has floated capping the governor’s share at one-third as a compromise.

📰 Read Soiciety’s explainer on how the Bangkok government works.

Bangkok officials said Wednesday that Sena Ruam, a BTS Green Line station planned since 1999 between Saphan Kwai and Ari, is unlikely to be built soon.

Why it matters: Green Line maps list Sena Ruam as a “future station.” Condos, offices and hospitals now surround the 1.6-kilometer gap between Saphan Kwai and Ari, driving calls to build it.

State of play: Deputy Gov. Wisanu Sapsomphon said Sena Ruam isn’t directly listed in the concession, which required at least 17 stations. The line has 24 open today. With the concession ending in 2029, he said building it under BTSC is unlikely.

By the numbers: The 1.6-kilometer Saphan Kwai-Ari ride costs 25 baht, more than the 2.46-kilometer Khu Kot-Yaek Kor Por Aor ride on the extension, at 17 baht.

Yes, but… Wisanu said the original concession for the core Green Line charges by distance along its planned route, including Sena Ruam, so the fares aren’t comparable.

What to watch: Bangkok is transferring the Green Line’s rights to the national Mass Rapid Transit Authority. Wisanu said a single owner could affect fare structures.

Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said last week the city won’t allow new sidewalk vendors and that existing ones are on what he called a “transition period.”

Why it matters: About 10,000 vendors could be moved. The city aims to create 1,000 designated spots in smaller sois, with no more than five vendors each. Vendors would shift to those spots, private rentals or hawker centers.

By the numbers: Bangkok had about 21,000 sidewalk vendors when Chadchart took office in 2022. The Bangkok Street Vendors Federation estimated that about 200,000 vendors have left the city in the past 10 years.

The bottom line: Chadchart said pedestrians come first. He added that legal spaces and tax registration offer vendors more long-term job security than sidewalks.

City Hall is testing a foam food-packaging ban at city agencies and schools in Phra Nakhon and Din Daeng, with plans to extend it to all 50 districts.

Why it matters: Food-packaging foam doesn’t break down naturally and poses long-term health risks, said Deputy Gov. Pornphrom Vikitsreth.

Big picture: The pilot follows a campaign proposal. Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt proposed banning foam in all city schools and agencies. His plans also include a “green event protocol” barring foam and single-use plastics at any event on city property.

What to watch: Officials haven’t said whether the ban is advisory or legally enforceable. Pilot agencies will report results on an assessment form. City Hall is considering an executive order for a citywide ban next year.

Ten of us went on an outing to Thung Khru Saturday, exploring the Bang Mot canal, meeting residents and sharing food with the community. We learned about e-boat conversions, met young artists, ate fresh fruit and took home potted plants.

🙌 Soiciety’s events aim to bring our readers closer to the communities they read about through firsthand experiences and conversations. Stay tuned for our next outing and walks!

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