City profile

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and is known for its vibrant streets and rich cultural heritage. Its estimated population is over 11 million, and even more if the wider metro area is considered. While known as a popular destination for tourism, the city's main industries also include financial services, business and electronics manufacturing. The city has emerged as a hub for arts, fashion, entertainment and medical tourism.

Bangkok scores strongly for Assets and Infrastructure, housing competitive universities in the region, having a high level of digital security, and a significant infrastructure project pipeline.

Over 150 transport projects worth US$17bn are planned for the country. Many of these include public-private partnerships.

Where the city requires immediate attention is Urban Management and Governance, with relatively low scores in green area, recycling rate and electricity consumption. The city has published goals on a Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BGC) which stresses the need for protecting biodiversity, maintaining natural resources and sustainable urban management.

Insight

The circular economy is a central part of Thailand’s growth strategy. The government’s ambition is for the country to leave the middle-income bracket by 2037. However the economy is still developing and it must balance growth against its environmental targets. Arup studied the possibilities of the circular economy across three of the country’s most strategic sectors: food and agriculture, electrical and electronic equipment, and construction.
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