During the 12th Asia Smart Cities Conference held in Yokohama, Japan (November 13 to 15, 2023), the Governor of Bangkok and the World Bank engaged in a strategic dialogue on pertinent issues confronted by East Asian cities, with a particular focus on Bangkok.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt led the delegation from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), accompanied by Deputy Governor Mr. Wisanu Subsompon and Advisor Mr. Pornprom Vikitsreth. The BMA team also included Ms. Sermook Noppun, Head of Climate Change Strategy Sector, Environment Department; Ms. Pannrai Chingchitr, Director of International Affairs Office; and Ms. Veeranuch Naowasak, Foreign Relations Officer.
Representatives from the World Bank included, Ming Zhang, Practice Manager for Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice for East Asia & the Pacific, along with Mark Roberts (Lead Urban Economist), Christopher Pablo (Senior Urban Specialist, Lead of World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center), and Shi Hui Phua (Consultant), shared some of the World Bank's expertise and experiences across client countries.
Discussions centered on critical concerns, such as addressing air pollution, providing affordable housing, issuing green bonds, and exploring public-private partnership models for sustainable development. The World Bank and BMA have forged a close partnership focusing on resilient and low-carbon development, including collaborative efforts on urban heat management.
The World Bank staff with Governor Sittipunt in Yokohama City