The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is planning to establish 30 “creative neighbourhoods” by next year while also improving physical areas to enhance integration with the local economy.

The project is an expansion of this year’s campaign to promote the creative economy in the city area by establishing 21 creative neighbourhoods throughout Bangkok. The campaign’s objectives are to maximise the use of public areas, promote community enterprises that lend themselves to the creative economy, and create career opportunities for local residents.

“The campaign was planned for 2023-2024 so next year we expect to have nine more neighbourhoods with their own creative activities,” said deputy governor Sanon Wangsrangboon during a meeting with BMA’s committee for creative economy promotion at the City Hall on Tuesday.

Sanon added that governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who initiated the campaign, was placing emphasis on neighbourhoods along the three canals in the Old Town area, namely the Phadung Krung Kasem, Bang Lamphu, and Khu Mueang Doem canals.

“The project will not only improve the landscape of these canals, but will also promote creative activities that contribute to the Old Town’s livelihood and local economy,” he said.

Sanon told the meeting that the BMA’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, which is the central agency for the campaign, aims to have 30 creative neighbourhoods throughout the city by the end of next year.

Apart from promoting the organisation of creative activities, the department will also focus on improving the landscape and infrastructure of target areas so that these activities can be seamlessly integrated with existing economic activities.

“For example, we found that the Bang Pho area is lacking parking space and that the sidewalks along Phadung Krung Kasem are too narrow. The city will fix these physical limitations to maximise traffic flow to these neighbourhoods,” said Sanon. “In the end, if the creative fairs being held there are still lacking visitors, the BMA can pinpoint where the real problem lies.”

The meeting on Tuesday also acknowledged the progress of development projects under the creative economy promotion campaign, such as the landscape improvement of Kadeejeen community and the urban development project in Bang Khun Thian district. The meeting also approved the budget to further promote creative activities in 11 neighbourhoods and discussed the possibility of developing physical linkages between creative neighbourhoods that are close to each other.