(April 23, 2025) – Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, led a delegation of senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials to Paris, France, from April 23 to 25, 2025. The visit was part of a collaborative framework between BMA and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

The delegation included Torsak Chotimongkol, Chairman of the Advisers to the Governor of Bangkok; Sanon Wangsrangboon, Deputy Governor of Bangkok; Pornphrom Vikitsreth, Adviser to the Governor and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO); Kunanop Lertpraiwan, Assistant Secretary to the Governor; as well as officials from the BMA’s International Affairs Office.

The purpose of the visit was to exchange knowledge, experiences and discuss potential collaborations between the BMA, the City of Paris and AFD. The delegation also visited exemplary urban development projects across Paris and the Île-de-France region.

AFD coordinated with various agencies to arrange meetings with city executives, experts, academics, public and private sector representatives, as well as non-profit and innovation-driven organisations, to discuss key urban issues.

Particular focus was given to sustainable urban planning, the development of resilient infrastructure and adaptation to climate change—offering practical models that could inform future collaborative projects.
AFD covered the costs associated with the BMA delegation’s participation in the meetings.

On April 23, 2025, the BMA delegation held discussions with representatives from Société des Grands Projets (SGP) and La Fabrique du Métro. They were introduced to national rail infrastructure initiatives, in particular the Grand Paris Express, a major orbital metro project encircling Paris.
The project showcases future-oriented planning, including virtual models of new stations, accessibility improvements for people with disabilities, carbon emission reduction strategies during construction, and the technology and design processes behind next-generation subway systems.
The Grand Paris Express is more than a new transport system—it is the backbone of a more sustainable, resilient and seamlessly connected metropolitan future.

The delegation also visited Saint-Denis Pleyel station, one of the key hubs of the Grand Paris Express. The station, situated in the rapidly developing Saint-Denis neighbourhood in northern Paris, is set to become a central interchange for four major metro lines (14, 15, 16, and 17). It is designed to accommodate over 250,000 passengers per day in the future.

Later, the BMA officials met with Pierre Rabadan, Deputy Mayor of Paris, and a delegation from the Atelier Parisien d’Urbanisme (APUR) to study approaches to increasing green space in modern cities and enhancing urban climate resilience.

Urban planners from APUR presented the “Plan Canopée,” a green roof initiative aiming to add at least 30 hectares of tree canopy and vegetation by 2030. The project focuses on transforming rooftops, schools, roads, and public spaces into vibrant green areas. The environmental, wellbeing, and mental health impacts of the initiative were also examined.

Following this, Pierre Rabadan led the BMA delegation on a walking tour of a major street revitalisation project, converting main thoroughfares into “rues végétalisées” or green streets. These streets incorporate tree planting, floral landscaping, and sustainable pedestrian pathways to reduce urban heat.

The visit concluded with a meeting between BMA officials and representatives from Paris’s Urban Cooling Operator, who shared experiences in managing urban-scale sustainable energy infrastructure through the city’s district cooling system, known as the Réseau de froid.
This system is one of the largest energy infrastructures of its kind in Europe, delivering efficient and sustainable cooling to extensive urban areas.

Operated by Fraîcheur de Paris, the network utilises natural sources such as water from the Seine River. Through a system of thermal exchange and underground piping, it provides cooling to over 700 key buildings in Paris—including the Louvre Museum, hospitals, offices, and shopping centres.

The BMA delegation also toured the system’s main control centre, which showcases real-time data on temperature, energy use and environmental quality monitoring.

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