Politics
Old City Bkk Infrastructure Referendum Sets Bond Authorization for Transit and Construction Projects
The ballot measure would authorize up to 12 billion baht in bonds to expand bus rapid transit routes and upgrade market access roads in the historic core, directly shaping local hiring and daily service reliability.
How we reported this
The Old City Bkk Infrastructure and Jobs Referendum asks voters on 15 September 2026 to approve a bond package that funds three new bus rapid transit corridors and road widening along Phra Athit and Maharat roads. The measure targets construction employment and freight movement for vendors operating near the Grand Palace and nearby temples.
City council placed the question on the ballot after the 2025 annual budget review showed that existing transit funding covers only 62 percent of planned route extensions through 2028. Residents have reported average commute times of 47 minutes from the old city to industrial zones in Bang Rak during peak hours.
Effects on employment and service delivery
Passage would allocate 4.8 billion baht to construction contracts that require at least 40 percent of labor hours from Old City Bkk postal districts 10200 and 10220. Local advocates note the projects could connect 28,000 market stalls and small manufacturers to faster delivery routes, reducing spoilage losses reported at 9 percent of daily revenue in the 2024 vendor survey.
The remaining funds would support signal upgrades and dedicated lanes projected to cut bus headways from 12 minutes to 7 minutes on the new corridors. Policy analysts say this change would affect shift workers at hospitals and hotels who currently rely on the existing 12 bus lines serving the area.
Budget figures and next steps
The referendum guide published by the Old City Bkk Election Commission states that debt service on the bonds would total 780 million baht annually for 20 years, drawn from the general fund that currently stands at 21.4 billion baht. No new taxes are included in the proposal.
If approved, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration would issue the first tranche of bonds by December 2026 and begin procurement for the initial corridor between Tha Tien pier and the flower market. Groundbreaking is listed for the second quarter of 2027 under the published implementation timeline.