The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is ready to work with Move Forward Party and its new Bangkok MPs to improve the lives of city residents, governor Chadchart Sittipunt said.

The governor was speaking to reporters after meeting with Move Forward leader and PM candidate Pita Limjaroenrat on Tuesday.

“We hope the BMA and Move Forward will use both manpower and technology to find the best solutions for the city,” Chadchart said. “It is the first step of moving forward together for the maximum benefit of the people.”

The two had met to discuss ways of working together once the party, which won 151 MP seats in the May 14 election, sets up a government.

Also present were Move Forward’s MP-elects for the capital. The party had swept 32 of Bangkok’s 33 MP seats, leaving one for a Pheu Thai candidate. Pheu Thai is also part of the Move Forward-led coalition.

At the meeting, Chadchart thanked Move Forward for meeting up to create a mutual understanding in managing Thailand’s most populous city.

He also complimented the newly elected MPs’ willingness to join BMA officials in visiting local communities to get to the root of their problems as well as collect feedback.

Pita said his party has been working on policies for the capital and looking for ways to seamlessly coordinate with the BMA and local agencies.

“We are looking to see how we can tackle both old and new problems, and will work seamlessly with relevant agencies at government, prime ministerial, Parliament, governor and city council levels,” Pita said. “We will also address obstacles related to funds, legal limitations and coordination with the BMA.”

Chadchart also presented Pita with a 21-item list for which BMA requires government support, namely:

1. Allocating state-owned land for public use
2. Controlling PM2.5 fine-dust air pollution
3. Revising land and building taxes
4. Collaborating with the government to solve traffic woes
5. Launching a long-term study on preventing high-tide floods due to global warming
6. Allocating funds that reflect actual requirements
7. Moving communication cables underground in cooperation with relevant agencies
8. Finding solutions for legal disputes over electric train projects
9. Creating a combined public transport fare system to reduce cost for commuters
10. Solving residential issues for city people
11. Developing an “Open Bangkok” data centre with the government providing support on information
12. Promoting projects for local economic development
13. Revamping city laws to be more efficient
14. Modernising the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act
15. Completing pending projects that need financial support from the government
16. Boosting security to enhance the confidence of tourists
17. Promoting the primary healthcare system and linking up hospitals under the Bangkok Health Zones project
18. Improving the efficiency of natural disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, including rehabilitation and compensation of victims
19. Revising the budget for personnel management, especially in public health and disaster prevention departments
20. Revising collaboration under sister-city initiatives to promote participation at community levels
21. Improving the quality of education in line with modern times.