As Bangkok faces intensifying urban heat city leaders are taking urgent steps to cool the metropolis and protect residents according to a new report by the World Bank and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The study Shaping a Cooler Bangkok: Tackling Urban Heat for a More Livable City warns that without intervention a one-degree Celsius rise in the city’s average temperature could result in over 2,300 heat-related deaths annually, 44 billion baht in lost wages due to lower productivity, and 17 billion baht in additional cooling costs each year.
The report highlights that Bangkok is experiencing longer and more extreme heatwaves worsened by the urban heat island effect, which traps heat in built-up areas and strains public health, productivity and infrastructure. If no action is taken by 2050, rising temperatures could make outdoor jobs nearly impossible and increase heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations such as 880,000 children under 15 and 1 million elderly residents over 65.
Melinda Good, World Bank Division Director for Thailand and Myanmar “Urban heat is not just an environmental issue but an economic and social challenge that demands urgent action. This report provides practical solutions to help Bangkok adapt to extreme heat while protecting vulnerable residents, safeguarding jobs in exposed industries, and ensuring long-term economic resilience.”
To combat extreme heat the BMA has launched initiatives such as cooling shelters expanded green corridors and heat alert systems. The report proposes additional strategic reforms, including strengthening early warning systems, opening more public spaces as cooling centers, and embedding heat resilience into urban planning policies. Other recommendations include stricter building codes, localized heat mapping, and the creation of a heat resilience fund to secure long-term financing for cooling projects.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt “As Bangkok continues to grow, we must take decisive steps to address the escalating heat challenge. The findings and recommendations from this report will guide our efforts to better protect the most vulnerable residents, creating a more livable, resilient metropolis for future generations.”
The report stresses the need for collaboration between policymakers businesses, and communities to align immediate heat mitigation efforts with long-term climate resilience strategies. By targeting the most heat-affected areas and ensuring institutional cooperation, Bangkok can better manage resources and protect its citizens from worsening heat risks. The World Bank and BMA reaffirm their commitment to implementing these recommendations, ensuring Bangkok’s climate resilience journey remains on track.