Top ten problems Bangkokians would like the new governor to solve
Bangkokians have revealed the top ten problems they would like the new governor to iron out, according to digital agency Real Smart, which studied online conversations from February 1 to April 7.
The top ten are:
- Potholed roads and sidewalks (97,875 mentions – 52.8%)
Netizens complained that many streets and sidewalks have holes and are not smooth, while many manhole covers are also broken and pose a danger.
- Floods (20,286 mentions – 11%)
Most problems occurred due to a lack of an efficient drainage system and garbage choking drains.
- Zebra-crossing safety (16,864 mentions – 9%)
Most motorists failed to stop for pedestrians using zebra crossings, while some of the crossings are not marked clearly.
- PM 2.5 and other air pollution problems (15,933 mentions – 8.6%)
The main problems are vehicles and factories, which belch out smoke and exhaust. Meanwhile, winds bring in toxic dust from wildfires in nearby countries.
- Lack of ample green areas (10,399 mentions – 5.6%)
Netizens are increasingly seeing the importance of environmental conservation. Many want to exercise outdoors.
- Surveillance cameras and streetlights do not cover every area (8,928 mentions – 4.8%)
People realise that the shortage of surveillance cameras and a lack of maintenance decreases safety and lead to increased accidents and theft.
- The high cost of living (8,146 mentions – 4.4%)
Most problems have occurred during the Covid-19 crisis. The cost of living has been rising while wages are still the same.
- Traffic jams (3,655 mentions – 2%)
Most occur from people who park incorrectly on the road. The problem gets worse during a festival or accident.
- Polluted canals (2,155 mentions –1%)
This is mainly because residents dump garbage in canals. Netizens complain that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration does not have concrete prevention measures and solutions.
- Street vendors, stalls blocking sidewalks (1,157 mentions – 0.6%)
This occurs mainly when vendors set up stalls without authorisation, while no official organisation tries to prevent them from doing so. Some stalls even make the area dirty because they dispose of garbage incorrectly.
Real Smart studied 185,398 pieces of conversation on Twitter, Facebook, websites, Youtube and Instagram.
The company said “social listening” is an important tool for those who work in digital marketing and want to manage information. They use this tool to get opinions on various social media platforms.
