Project News

On 3 March 2022, the fourth Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) was held online between Thailand and Japan, which invited 40 delegates from JICA, JST and project research team members. The JCC meeting was divided into three parts: the first element focused on the achievements of the project purpose and the way forward; the second examined the proposal to extend the project period and considered the indicators written in the Project Design Matrix (PDM) and the third outlined the progress and the forthcoming activities in 2022. In the part 1, Thai counterparts delivered presentations on the draft futures of urban transportation in Bangkok and a concept of the Sukhumvit Model linking to the QOL evaluation. The JCC approved that the ideas will be shown at the forthcoming meeting with stakeholders such as Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). As for the part 2, since all activities have been halted or delayed due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the project period extension by 10 months was proposed to JICA and JST. In along with revising objectively verifiable indicators, JICA will consider the proposals with internal departments for administrative procedures. During the part 3, four research groups reported their achievements in 2021 and their plan of activities in 2022.

Online group photos of JCC participants

On 14 March 2022, Thai project members invited 11 delegates from Thai governmental organizations including the Ministry of Transportation (MOT), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and other, to hold a stakeholder meeting for exchanging project's Sukhumvit Model and future scenarios in Bangkok. During the meeting, the stakeholders provided the latest urban transportation plans, trends and needs, all of which were valuable feedbacks for the project. Prof Yoshitsugu Hayashi, the principal investigator of Chubu University, attended the meeting remotely. To design and propose a realistic and helpful policy package for the citizens of Bangkok, the project keeps on communicating with stakeholders.

Remarks by Dr Teerayut, the acting project director, Thammasat University

Comments from Department of Rail Transport, Ministry of Transport

Facilitation by Dr Pawinee, Thammasat University

Dr Varameth, Kasetsart University, questioning to the Department of City Planning, BMA

Prof Hayashi's remarks from Japan