Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt wants a stronger social contract
Interview, Story, Photographs by: Matt Hunt
In Thailand, 2022 was, by many accounts, the year of Chadchart Sittipunt.
The ambitious Independent candidate won the 2022 Bangkok Gubernatorial Election in a landslide, the first Governor democratically elected after nine years of military-appointed leadership following Thailand’s 2014 Coup D’Etat.
Chadchart Sittipunt’s win was not just a victory for his career but also a significant moment in Thai politics that was celebrated as a triumph for Thai democracy. His sizable and candid social media presence, combined with a uniquely broad platform of progressive urban development and transparent governance, resonated with a diverse range of voters seeking substantial change. His record-breaking 1.3 million votes, representing 53% of the total vote, was a message of hope for many.
During his time as Minister of Transport under the Yingluck Shinawatra government, he positioned himself as a capable administrator who could address Bangkok’s pressing infrastructure challenges while promoting sustainable growth and taking a hands-on approach to his work. He eventually became a prime ministerial candidate for the Pheu Thai Party. That bid fizzled, but his hope to work in public governance did not.
He has been at the helm of Bangkok, a city of over 10 million people, for two years now—half his term. Despite society’s complex challenges and the intricate Thai bureaucracy that comes with his job as a civil servant, he remains optimistic for the future.
We spoke at Bangkok City Hall on July 2, 2024, discussing various topics, including his implementation of the Traffy Fondue application, CCTV in Bangkok, traffic problems, corruption, sex work, and some of the challenges he faces in doing his best job for a city he shows uninterrupted admiration for.
For two years prior, I had run into Governor Chadchart around the city at various functions I was working at. The following documentary photographs were taken since his election.
