Known for their uneven surfaces and potholes -- not to mention seemingly endless reconstruction -- footpaths in Bangkok have always been on the receiving end of criticism and ridicule.
A group - calling itself the Group of Thais who Seek to Reclaim Pavements -- have challenged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to provide answers.
In late April, the group used Facebook to criticise the BMA for demolishing the pavement in front of the JW Marriott on Soi Sukhumvit 2. The group asked why the BMA had to demolish pavements in the city just about every year.
In the latest post made in mid-May, the group questioned the endless pavement repair on Phahon Yothin Road between the Saphan Kwai and Sanam Pao area.
The group's questions regarding the BMA's repairs reflect what many other residents of the capital have long been wondering : Which department of the BMA is responsible for these seemingly frequent pavement repair? Who actually decides which pavements need to be repaired or rebuilt and why?
Sakchai Boonma, director of the Public Works Department of the BMA, said Bangkok has a total of more than 6.8 million square metres of pavements -- approximately 1,300 kilometres in length.
Pavements along the sois and minor roads are under the care of each of Bangkok's 50 district offices, except for certain pavements constructed on private land, he said.
Besides regular pavement inspection, the centres also handle complaints regarding broken pavements, which are usually submitted through BMA's No.1555 hotline.
"The main reason Bangkok's pavements require continuous repair is due to the city's natural process of sinking every year coupled with constant construction of infrastructure for condominiums and transport upgrades such as rail networks," he said.
Moreover, the work of other agencies in repairing the city's public utility network, such as electricity and water systems, requires frequent digging into pavements, which adds to the need for pavement repair.
"That's why the BMA's repair of pavements may appear too frequent to observers. Some may even suspect the constant work is a ploy to burn the taxpayer's money."
Last but not least, another scourge is motorcycles which drive on pavements or cars which unlawfully use the pavement as a parking lot. These not only degrade the pavements further but can also cause damage to water pipes underneath.
