Last year government sources heralded Bangkok as the ‘Geneva of Asia’ with a new law making it easier to recognise international bodies diplomatically. The suggestion by the prime minister to a seminar on Wednesday seemed more like a call to examine the current arrangement for accommodating government agencies. However, General Prayuth did say that the government was determined to look at the option of moving the capital.
The Thai prime minister on Wednesday suggested that his government would at least explore the possibility of moving the Thai capital away from Bangkok. He emphasised that it was merely an idea now and seemed to indicate a second option to move key government agencies and departments to the outskirts of the rapidly expanding metropolis.
On Wednesday at a seminar in Bangkok held in Muang Thong Thani on the outskirts of the city the Thai prime minister, Prayuth Chan Ocha raised the possibility of moving Thailand’s capital from Bangkok, which has been the seat of power in the kingdom since the end of the 18th century.
Response to congestion and growing population
The prime minister was addressing attendees at the event entitled ‘Connecting Thailand with the World’ which was organised by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council.
The PM’s comments were presented as a possible response to congestion and the growing population of the city which is creating its own problems not least some of the most intense traffic jams in the world.
Government determined to look at the possibility
General Prayuth stressed that, for now, the suggestion was just an idea but underlined the present Thai government’s determination to look at the radical possibility. ‘Past governments were never able to pull this off, fearing it would cause irreparable conflict in society,’ he said. He emphasised the desire held by the government ministry to foster understanding in the country both between the people and the government.
One option – find a city near the current capital which would not be too expensive to move to
The prime minister told his audience that there were two ways of going about moving the Thai capital. One was to find a city in Thailand that is neither too far from Bangkok and one that would be relatively inexpensive to move the seat of government to.
Move government departments and agencies to the outskirts of Bangkok is already happening
The second proposition would be to maintain Bangkok as the capital in name and preserve the city’s key buildings and landmarks while moving government ministries and agencies to the outskirts of the metropolitan area.
To some extent, this has already been happening with facilities such as the major Thai government complex on the Chaeng Watthana road that houses among other agencies, the immigration bureau.
Move last year to attract international organisations to headquarter in Bangkok
Last September, the Thai National Assembly passed legislation to allow Thai officials to grant diplomatic recognition to international bodies under the 1961 Vienna Convention to encourage such organisations to establish their World and Asian headquarters in Bangkok.
Bangkok – the Geneva of Asia
At the time, lawmakers and government officials heralded the move as part of a plan to develop Bangkok as the Geneva of Asia. In fact, many UN and international agencies have moved to Bangkok and made it their Asian seat of power including many of the world’s leading corporations and non-governmental organisations.
