Seems like the Big Mango is going through a glow-up. We’ve noticed all kinds of changes announced around the city – a new hawker centre, the Lumphini Park entrance transformation plan and even green taxi boats. But now the spotlight is on Bangkok’s busiest roundabout, Victory Monument.
After years of chaotic bus bays, sweaty waits and endless dodging of motorbikes, this transport hub is getting the changes it deserves. The Bangkok Metropolitan Council has signed off on more than B136 million to transform the area – the biggest revamp in two decades.
The city has drawn on ‘user behaviour’ as the starting point for designing the public space, following the principles of Universal Design. The budget includes a covered walkway network, new bus bays and boarding zones and better access for wheelchair users and older people. The plan also adds plenty of trees and green space to soften the sea of concrete. City planners are essentially taking the area apart and putting it back together so commuters can actually find their bus without playing human Frogger.
Construction has already started on the Phahon Yothin and Ratchawithi sides, with completion due in 2026. Funding for the Din Daeng and Phaya Thai sides is still waiting for the green light. There will also be new footbridges linking all four islands around the monument and the Ratchawithi Skywalk, which will stretch all the way to Chaloem Ratchakhun Intersection, connecting eight hospitals in one continuous walkway.
More than 100,000 people pass through Victory Monument every single day. The redesign aims to make life easier for all users and ties into Bangkok’s Car Free Everyday push, which means the city wants you to stop clinging to your steering wheel and embrace public transport.
With all these changes, will Bangkokians finally get the green city life they deserve? The image of a chaotic city could be changing for good but one thing’s for sure: Victory Monument might soon feel less like a battle and more like a breeze for commuters.