NICE FOR MOBILITY

Transport solutions start with our ideas

The quality of urbanites’ lives correlates to mobility and the public transport system within the city. The more accessible the transport system, the better quality of lives urbanites are living. And the theme for Bangkok Design Week 2023 – urban‘NICE’zation will focus on the importance of creative ideas and efficient innovation for the people’s convenience and safety. Also creating a new transport experience for everyone such as upgrading public transport signage, reorganizing the footpath, and even advocating for an environment-friendly or clean energy public transport.

Although the transportation system is a massive infrastructural issue that required big entities to make a visible change that does not mean little people like us cannot take part in the change and come up with solutions. So today we want to introduce groups of small creatives and people who have decided to create change and address the public transport issue in Bangkok and make a better travelling experience for everyone.

Mayday: Pushing Public Transport forward, repairing Bangkok’s Main Arteries

There is a new transport system emerging everywhere like sky trains, underground trains, and transport services through application platforms. But the bus is still the most used transport by people at every level, it gives service as the main arteries of Bangkok that needs much attention. As many know, the infamous bus system is complex and required a lot of knowledge and a deep understanding of local roads and traffic nature to utilize the transport to its fullest potential. There are often situations where one encounters the complexity of the routes, uncertain whether you take the right bus to go to your desired destination due to a lack of information to check beforehand. Therefore, a group of people who are passionate about Thai buses and specialize in urban planning like Mayday, have decided to come together and create ideas to tackle this issue.

The team started small by redesigning signage for route information at the bus stop and route information infographic stickers plastered inside the bus making it easy to understand by everyone. This pushes the importance of upgrading public transport for people with limited funds. The Facebook page has also become an online space to share fun route information, so people can see its importance and turns to take the bus more. It also provides important information about the changes in the bus service or other public transportation in Bangkok with the slogan ‘Small Change, Big Move.’ We believe that no matter how small the steps we take, we are an inch closer to the people of Bangkok having equal access to public transport. Mayday has become the prime example of a collective of small people coming together to make the change, pushing the government sectors to adopt the bus stop designs we seen around Bangkok today.

Wayfinding Bangkok : Signage explorer

Wayfinding Bangkok is a detective-explorer taking you around Bangkok and exploring the wayfinding signages in Bangkok like in the underground train stations, on the street or even inside the malls. Addressing the issue of signage communications and suggesting fun solutions so that everyone can have a better travelling experience through skilled graphics. Also providing a helpful guide for travelling routes for interested people or the younger generations who are haven’t use the public transport. Moreover, the issue raised was more helpful than not for official sectors to understand and paying attention to find the solutions.

UDDC: Ignite the “Good Walk” City

UDDC or Urban Design and Development Center serves as an entity connecting networks of specialists and urban developers to come together and study urban problems and urban planning development. We believe city development and revitalization is everybody’s important mission and UDDC’s priority is to make Bangkok a friendlier city for walking. As one of the projects ‘Good Walk’ is hoped to overcome the problems lots of urbanites are facing such as long commune and traffic jams, as well as an economic trap. The project also hopes to support and create new economic and touristic areas through a revitalization of local culture.

UDDC’s strategy is to start designing a sandbox district for Good Walk, in a district that is already rich with economic, physical, and environmental potential. To realize the project, there must be a planned list of involved entities required to cooperate and go through with the project. So that everyone who will benefit like the citizen, the private, and government sectors come together and cooperate in the management to develop it into a truly walkable and sustainable district.

Rabbit Crossing: Look out for pedestrians and advocate the law for road safety

The countries that prioritize ‘cars’ over ‘pedestrians’ are bound to experience lots of fatal car accidents at crosswalks or on the roads. A gloomy situation occurred, family and friends lost their loved ones – like a fatal accident where Doctor Kratai Waraluck was hit by a motorcycle running through a marked crosswalk without slowing down. The accident cause her friends to come together and created a group ‘Rabbit Crossing’, to advocate for the proper implementation of crosswalk law and promote a more safe crosswalk for the pedestrian in the community. And also call for more driving discipline in the hopes that drivers are mindful and considerate of the pedestrian. 

The Facebook page also has a support system, taking in reports of the unsafe crosswalk because a little issue like this can cause uncalled-for loss of lives. No matter who you are, if you notice an unsafe crosswalk or any unwarranted situations you can report them to the page ‘Rabbit Crossing’ to coordinate and resolve – which is very helpful for the community.

Alternative Vehicles: The solution for urbanites and the environment

There’s no denying that transportation played a major role in causing the environmental issue in the city. Therefore, many groups in the public and private sectors are pushing for vehicles that consume clean energy for both personal and industrial purposes. 

One of the groups is ETRAN, a new generation startup that develops and produces clean energy electric vehicles in Thailand with the slogan ‘Drive The Better World.’ ETRAN’s intention is to provide a driving experience that is nice for the environment. The vehicle supported both industrial and labour use. Plus, the price is low because the group wants to encourage everyone to use it daily and consider the environment more. There is also an ETRAN Power Station setup available 24/7 to help with battery changes without wasting time waiting for a charge. All you need to do is swap out the battery and get back on track immediately. 

Another one is the application platform Muvmi, an electric Tuk-Tuk transport service where all the serviced vehicles use clean electric energy which is nice for the environment. Additionally, the platform is a ridesharing system where the Tuk-tuk will pick up passengers at multiple stops along the way for those who are heading to the destinations along the routes. Though the rideshare takes a bit more time for the passenger the cost on the environment is greatly reduced. Ridesharing saves passengers’ pockets as well or for those who prefer to have the car to themselves, there’s an option for that as well with the higher price.

Of course, the whole transport system in Bangkok cannot be turned around overnight but as long as many people start making small changes together it will urban ‘Nice’ the transport system for the better. We, as urbanites can take part in this change by coming up with creative ideas and innovative solutions to help and make it nicer to transport within the city. 

Still, stuck for ideas? Just start by changing one’s travel behaviour, exploring the issue of the area by walking on the footpath and driving safely and mindfully, or joining a group and making an alliance in the community with whom are into the same issues. Or come and check out Bangkok Design Week 2023 under the theme urban‘NICE’zation, we guarantee that sparks will fly!

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Bangkok Design Week 2023

urban‘NICE’zation 

เมือง-มิตร-ดี

4-12 February 2023

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