Just City Documentary: What Makes A City Just?

at a public park dubbed the lungs of the city, we had an appointment with Pornphrom Vikitsreth, the Adviser to the Governor and Chief Sustainability Officer of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. “People come jogging and doing their after-work exercises here every day,” he said. “But imagine if every single person drives to the parks downtown every day, it can never solve traffic congestion”. Pornphrom explains that there are socio-economic inequalities in geographic accessibility and quality of public green spaces in Bangkok. For example, if someone lives in the heart of the city near the central business districts, that person will have easy access to public parks without having to use their own vehicle. Pornphrom guided us in a short walking tour crisscrossing through the lush greenery scene into Benjakitti Forest Park Museum where we were introduced into the one and only miniature Bangkok city model. “You can take in the whole of Bangkok in one glance here,” Pornphrom said. 
 

to become a people-centric city, a just urban hub for all walks of life. But such a people-centric city is one where urban planning is fundamentally about enhancing the quality of life for its residents through inclusive participation, thoughtful design, sustainable practices and improved access to urban green spaces.

“Equal access to green spaces is a basic right,” Pornphrom said. “But residents living in the densely populated suburban areas are having a hard time getting access to green spaces. So the inequality is being addressed with a pocket park or 15-minute park policy. We want to expand and bring the usable green spaces to the suburbs, to wherever communities are.”

Watch the short documentary Not Just Another Asian City for more on his policy recommendations. – Following the link below.

we recalled the confidence Pornphrom showed us that residents are more than willing and aspiring to achieve a just city where people would have better access to such basic rights.

Late afternoon that day we met Teetat Mettrai, a retired banker with a gently welcoming demeanour that conveyed openness and optimism. He told us, from his six decades of experience, that the Bangkok urban area was expanding so much he needed a place for his family with a more peaceful environment, so he moved further out. “But we couldn’t escape such rapid expansion that comes with traffic congestion anyway,” Teetat said. His solution is to be very selective in choosing the best transportation mode to get around the city during rush hours.

but he prefers to take the bus than drive through congested streets. “But my house is not located near any bus stops or sky-train stations, so I have to either ride a motorcycle taxi or walk to get to the bus station,” said Uncle Jazz, to give him the conventional honorific for the elderly in Thailand.

As we spent around 15 minutes accompanying him in his short walking journey to the bus stop, passing through a pocket park he told us: “Just a breath of fresh air in a green scenery is enough to keep me going. This is called a 15-minute park and it’s just a perfect stopover for all pedestrians.”

Nonetheless, the walk was a bit of a strain for a 70-year-old. It would have been much preferred for citizens to have their last-mile connectivity and its challenges addressed by urban planners or policy makers.

Watch the short documentary to join Uncle Jazz on his daily journey – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBXXVdnw9zw

Pornphrom, the Chief Sustainability Officer, mentioned that the very last mile connectivity is key, because if walkways are impractical or take too much effort, pedestrians don’t want to use them. 

corridor systems connect all public areas of the city, resulting in community members being able to travel from their residences to different parts of the city, such as parks, markets, shops, and even workplaces. But many citizens in Bangkok doubt that the city has ever had footpaths that can be called ‘good’. 

Thanchanok Srithanedchai, a freelancer content producer who was born and raised in Bangkok and currently lives in the centre of the city told us the footpath is actually the main obstacle that prevents this bustling capital from becoming what planners and urbanists have started calling a 15-minute city, a model that emphasizes accessibility and convenience in urban living. “It’s impossible unless you live right next to the sky train or bus stop stations,” she said. “You couldn’t possibly get and go anywhere in Bangkok within 15 minutes but if you use the motorcycle taxi option, then that’s when you are about to connect your last mile but with a little bit of investment.”
The 15-Minute Pocket Park campaign in Bangkok is closely aligned with the broader concept of the 15-minute city popularized by the mayor of Paris in 2020. The theory advocates for urban environments where all essential services and amenities are reachable within a 15-minute walk or ride. Similarly, the 15-Minute Pocket Park campaign focuses on ensuring that parks and recreational areas are conveniently located for residents, thereby promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing reliance on vehicles. We didn’t forget to ask for Pornphrom Vikitsreth’s opinion on this. 

“It’s our next milestone to achieve but our 15-Minute Pocket Park campaign already embodies the principles of the 15-minute city by prioritizing accessibility to green spaces, enhancing urban liveability, addressing environmental challenges, and fostering community engagement,” said Bangkok’s Chief Sustainability Officer. 
 

She said luckily her house is located in the heart of community, and it is just a few steps from her front gate to the road where she can hail a motorcycle taxi, minibus, or taxi to connect her last mile to the pier, where she takes a canal boat bus to work downtown. “Skytrain stations are also near my house but I need a minibus or a motorcycle taxi to get to the station anyway. Sometimes, a sunny day makes walking feel too far and the pedestrian walkway is not that convenient, not just for me but for everyone,” Thanchanok said.

Watch the short documentary to connect your last-mile journey with us – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBXXVdnw9zw

many residential areas in Bangkok are located in narrow alleys or dead-end sois (alleys), making it difficult for larger vehicles to navigate. Motorcycle taxis can easily manoeuvre through these tight spaces, improving accessibility for residents who might otherwise face challenges reaching main roads or transit points. Motorcycle taxi drivers in Bangkok play a crucial role in addressing last-mile connectivity, which refers to the final leg of a journey where public transport ends and passengers need to reach their specific destinations. 

to locate one motorcycle taxi driver who happens to be the President of the Motorcycle Taxi Association of Thailand (MTAT) and find him at his duty station where his other colleagues are. The street where Chaloem Changthongmadn and his electric motorcycle are stationed were lined with waiting passengers. It was a typical morning rush hour in Bangkok, with hundreds if not thousands of commuters fighting the traffic and the clock to get to work on time. Most of them choose motorcycle taxi as their primary option as it’s faster although not necessarily cheaper. 

“We are the most economical option for Bangkokians to rush to their destinations but even that, I still would give 20 minutes the least just in case to get from point A to point B,” Chaloem said.
However, Chaloem and other motorcycle taxi drivers are feeling a sense of responsibility to not just provide the quickest service to city commuters, but also contribute to environmental sustainability by adopting cleaner technologies like electric motorcycles. In short, a just city for motorcycle taxi drivers would actively promote the use of EV motorcycles among them as part of a broader strategy to reduce urban pollution.
 

“The passengers like it because of the smooth riding experience the standard one couldn’t possibly give. But you ask if we could all afford one truly? I’m unsure of that.”

Plug-in EVs definitely reduce urban pollution. But they only help fight climate change if the electricity in the national grid comes from renewable sources. If the country’s generation plants burn coal, or worse, diesel, then you still have a vehicle that is ultimately powered by fossil fuels and responsible for GHG emissions. The question remains that to what extent can a government commit to establishing a comprehensive renewable energy system that spans from production to end-users?

Watch the short documentary to find out what holds back motorcycle taxi drivers from owning EV vehicles – following the link below.

but also about the people who inhabit it. UN chief António Guterres said in 2019 that “cities are where the climate battle will be largely won or lost.” And without a people-centred city, we may make some technological progress but we will never win the war of achieving net-zero targets and mitigate the impact of global warming. As Bangkok and other Asian cities swell and face climate crises, the need for a dynamic growth model that is socially just, inclusive, resilient and green has never been higher. But before politicians and other stakeholders jump to conclusions about what type of model is a perfect fit for both the city and its inhabitants, we should take a step back and look at all the realities and actualities on the ground; what exactly are the urban developments and the conditions facing the people who live, work and commute within the city. 

This documentary film, produced by FES Asia Regional Climate and Energy project and directed by Phatsurang Dechabuddharungsi, explores and unveils a shared journey of what social-ecological transformation could or will look like to make Bangkok ‘just’, through the eyes of three urban dwellers, one housing developer and a waste hero. From a woman and an elder who travel alone utilizing all kinds of urban transportation, they are living proof that connectivity in urban mobility can actually exist. A motorcycle taxi driver whose fight for the equality of rights of the working class to access clean energy always stuns the crowd. Through the support of a community organization development institute, Bangkok’s canal communities have been redeveloped to accommodate the urban poor population and address the problems of unchecked urbanization, especially the way canals are connected to flooding and waste mismanagement. And lastly, in order to build a sustainable climate-resilient city, a group of university students has been creating a ‘zero waste culture’, which has already been replicated by adjacent communities. How can these Bangkokians help socio-ecologically transform Bangkok, turn it into an inclusive and climate-resilient city? 

Watch the short documentary - following the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBXXVdnw9zw