Tourists pose for photos in front of the Bangkok sign, a popular photo landmark on the skytrain tracks between Siam and National Stadium stations in Pathumwan district. Apichart Jinakul
With the election of a new Bangkok governor yesterday, several unfinished tasks to develop the nation's capital await the administration during its four-year term.Bangkok is home to at least 8.2-11 million people, including temporary workers and students, and served as a gateway for 30.3 million foreign arrivals last year, as well as a hub for businesses of all sizes.
With an enormous fiscal budget of 92.7 billion baht under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the capital has ample tools to maintain its competitiveness.
The business sector hopes the new governor will develop it into an "ideal capital" that will elevate the country's economy.
Business leaders say policies that can strengthen the capital's appeal as a destination for both domestic migrants and foreign residents, as well as improve liveability, infrastructure and access to information, are key to successful development.
