Headline: New governor reveals his goals for the capital
Ref: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, THE NATION Issued date 25 November 2016 by JUTHATHIP LUCKSANAWONG
THE NEW BANGKOK governor promises to keep the capital free of floods, traffic jams and security problems.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation yesterday, Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang expressed confidence in his ability to fulfil these goals and highlighted his strengths.
“I’m quick ,determined and accurate. My work has to achieve concrete results,” 65-year-old Aswin, who is the first police officer ever to take the top job in Bangkok, said.
“Floodwaters have to be drained as fast as possible. If floods do hit the city next year, they will have to disappear in no more than five hours,” Aswin said, referring to the never-ending draining problems and floods that hit the city every time it rains heavily.
Over the past seven years, Bangkok residents have been holding former governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra responsible for the flooding due to his ineffective administration.
The pressure is now on Aswin, who was appointed by the junta last month to replace Sukhumbhand, to find a solution.
Aswin said he has already come up with plans to deal with possible flooding during next year’s rainy season.
“Yesterday [Wednesday], I discussed with experts how to level up the drainage system,” he said.
“Traffic congestion is also to be resolved. I have coordinated and held meetings with all involved parties, police, the State Railway, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA]. The resolution requires inte-gration and mutual dependence. Working alone won’t help,” he said.
Apart from his target to free the capital of floods and traffic jams, he has decided to take on another longstanding problem – security.
However, his concern for the capital’s security might have to do with his experience as a police officer who has resolved many high-profile criminal cases.
“The CCTV system will be improved in terms of quality rather than quantity. We will not need to buy more,” he said.
He added that transparency was also a top priority and that he would not destroy his reputation by getting involved in corruption.
“Though I was not elected, I will do my best. I believe I have been appointed due to my previous successes,” Aswin said.
He was one of the Bangkok’s deputy governors under the administration of Sukhumbhand, who was suspended in August due to his alleged involvement in corruption scandals.
Aswin said the scandals were being investigated by the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
He said he did not want to “dig up the past” and preferred instead to help the two agencies prevent “present and future” cases of graft and irregularity. He said that the two agencies could reach him anytime if they smell anything fishy.
A BMA source said: “The new governor is very quick and accessible. Working with him lets us achieve things easily thanks to his clear instructions, goals and high accountability.”
Though Aswin has his hands full with another “great and important” mission – handling the crowds flocking to Sanam Luang to pay their respects to His Majesty the King – he can still manage and make progress in his regular administrative work, the source said.
“He has his own backup team and a lot of powerful connections,” the source said.