Cooling rooms, more green spaces: Bangkok launches heat management plan for 2026 with 379 risk zones

BANGKOK – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is preparing for extreme heat in 2026, following the Meteorological Department’s forecast that Thailand will experience the hot season from late February to mid-May.

BMA has identified 379 heat-risk zones across the city, mainly in open public spaces such as construction sites, parks, motorcycle taxi stands, markets, sports fields and densely populated communities.

To address these concerns, BMA has introduced a four-level heat warning system, following the Ministry of Public Health’s guidelines.

The system will use a colour code based on the Heat Index – green for “monitoring”, yellow for “warning”, orange for “danger”, and red for “extreme danger”.

The Heat Index is calculated using temperature and humidity levels to assess the potential health risks to the public.

In addition, BMA is implementing a comprehensive heat management plan for 2026, in collaboration with the World Bank, under the concept Shaping A Cooler Bangkok.

The plan focuses on three main aspects: place, people and institution, aiming to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in dealing with the heat.

The plan includes both short-term measures – such as heat mapping, a heat warning system, and the establishment of cooling rooms (known as BKK Cooling Rooms) – and long-term strategies, such as increasing green spaces, adding water bodies, revising building regulations, and urban planning that considers climate conditions.

Furthermore, BMA has set up a heat management committee to monitor, analyse and integrate the efforts of all agencies.

The committee has also recommended that district offices establish cooling rooms from March to April 2026, operating from 11am to 3pm, providing water, medicines and emergency services to ensure the well-being of vulnerable populations. THE NATION/ASIAN NEWS NETWORK