LocationsFinding peace (and cool) in the City of Angels
Urban October: Bangkok
October 5, 2026
The Climate Finance Network partners with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to develop their Financial Strategy on Urban Heat.
Photo: UNDP Regional Hub, Bangkok
Urban October is a month-long campaign focused on sustainable urbanization and resilient cities. As our societies become increasingly urbanized, and the effects of climate change intensify, UNDP works around the world to make cities more livable for all their residents.
Did you know that Bangkok holds the Guinness World Record for the longest place name in the world? While we all call it Bangkok (or Krung Thep locally), its official name is:
"Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit"
It translates to a beautiful poetic description of a "City of Angels" built by divine architects. They say it is a city that never sleeps and, in many ways, that's true. It is a place of perpetual motion, a busy and buzzing metropolis that pulses with an energy you can feel in your bones. It is also known as one of the most heavily trafficked cities in the world, consistently ranking among the most congested globally.
It is a true cosmopolitan paradise where you can find a world-class version of almost any cuisine you can think of, from a quick spicy som tum on a street corner to Michelin-starred dining overlooking the skyline. Yet, to only see the chaos is to miss the magic. The soul of Bangkok lies also in its beautiful contradictions. Just a few steps away from the busiest, most crowded avenues like Chinatown at nighttime, you can find a hidden world of peace and stillness. It might be one of the beautiful and quiet parks, or a nice café tucked away in a quiet soi (side street), a library or community centre. In these little oases, the city’s frantic pace simply melts away.
That peace isn't just about physical spaces, but it is made of the way of living here. Thai culture—smiling, patient, and living with a gentle calm that seems to keep stress away—is the central part of that peace. A perfect and fun example of this can be found on the roads. Despite the massive traffic, you will almost never hear the angry horn of a car or motorbike. The quiet patience of millions of people navigating the daily rush hour without taking their frustration out at each other is something that never fails to impress me.
As the effects of climate change grow more intense, UNDP is designing and financing practical, concrete measures to cool Bangkok down.
Photo: UNDP Regional Hub, Bangkok
My daily life here reflects this duality. Some days, I can work from home, go to the gym, and rest in my own space, enjoying a quiet and peaceful day without seeing a soul. Then, a five-minute drive later, I can be right into the heart of a vibrant street food market surrounded by millions of lights, endless choices and the buzzing energy of a massive crowd.
Of course, you can’t talk about Bangkok without talking about the heat. Around here, we don't really have the typical four seasons; instead, there’s a simple and less varied alternative: hot, really hot and warm.
This ever-present heat is exactly where my work with UNDP connects with the city I call home. I am proud to be supporting the work of the Climate Finance Network, where we are partnering with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to develop their Financial Strategy on Urban Heat. This collaborative effort is designed alongside local actors and city administrators to integrate real climate resilience into Bangkok's municipal budgeting and urban planning.
As the heat brought by climate change is less and less abstract, we are designing and financing practical, concrete measures to cool the city down. This includes retrofitting vulnerable households with cool reflective roofs to lower indoor temperatures, paving streets with lighter-coloured, heat-reflective materials known as ‘cool pavements’, creating shaded wind corridors, and rolling out ‘cooling shelters’ across districts where outdoor workers and vulnerable residents can escape the most intense heatwaves.
What makes this financial strategy truly pioneering is that it can serve as a blueprint not just for our neighbours in Southeast Asia, but for major metropolitan centres worldwide. As global temperatures rise to unprecedented levels, such as the extreme heatwaves we witnessed across Europe and Asia this past summer, cities everywhere are realizing that extreme heat is no longer a distant threat, but an active public health and economic crisis.
Every city has a story. Bangkok's is one of vibrant energy and quiet grace, a city that teaches you to find your own pockets of peace within the beautiful chaos. Being a part of weaving its cooler, more livable future is what makes it feel like home.
