Bangkok to combat climate change

The capital city's governor is to appeal for use of alternative energy, ask citizens to conserve, and encourage a regional mass transportation system.

Upon his return home from attending a four-day climate meeting in New York City, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin said on Sunday he had told 40 international mayors and governors at the meeting he would initiate campaigns for drivers here to switch to using alternative energy.

There are more than 5.5 million cars in Bangkok -- many equipped with old and environmentally – inefficient engines which could emit high volumes of the carbon dioxide that causes climate change, he said.

A joint survey will be conducted by the BMA, central government agencies and the public sector to determine how many vehicles are "not using clean energy" and how many should be taken off the road annually, he said.

In cooperation with Bang Chak Petroleum, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Thai capital's municipal government, is operating a programme in Bangkok's Phra Khanong district in which it buys used cooking oil from households to produce biofuel.

The programme also aims at discouraging Bangkok residents from discarding used cooking oil into sewerage system and thus clogging it, he said.

This program will later be expanded to cover all 50 Bangkok districts. It should also encourage young people to realize the importance of environment preservation and the global warming challenge, Mr Apirak said.

Sufficient parking lots for commuters will be opened to persuade drivers to switch to mass transit, as well as using buses, riding bicycle or even travelling on foot, he said. City Hall is now building express bus routes from the outskirts of Bangkok, a development that is expected to draw significant participation from commuters.