Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, along with a delegation from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), has initiated discussions with various Danish entities regarding sustainable urban development during their recent visit to Copenhagen.

This engagement focuses primarily on Copenhagen's innovative waste-to-energy model and its broader environmental efforts.

One of the standout features of Copenhagen's waste management system is the ARC (Amager Resource Center), which employs cutting-edge technology to promote recycling and energy generation.

The ARC processes already-sorted household waste utilizing artificial intelligence to categorize materials into 35 distinct types.

Public accessibility to recyclable and reusable items is also facilitated by the center, while non-recyclable waste is incinerated to produce clean energy, supplying heating and electricity to local residences.

Currently, ARC operates a fleet of 128 electric garbage trucks to optimize the collection of household waste sustainably.

ARC not only focuses on incineration but also implements environmentally safe landfill practices alongside effective hazardous waste management.

The facility includes a plastic recycling plant and provides educational programs aimed at promoting waste separation among young residents.

Furthermore, ARC integrates recreational spaces with industrial infrastructure, evidenced by a community area developed atop the waste-to-energy plant, which features cafes, an artificial ski slope, and a climbing wall.

As part of their discussions, the Bangkok delegation met with Ramboll, a global engineering and consulting company.

Ramboll is actively involved in the development of ARC and emphasized its contributions to Copenhagen’s sustainability goals.

The company’s strategic plan for 2022-2026 focuses on initiatives to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resource management, while fostering community resilience and biodiversity conservation.

Furthermore, Ramboll is engaged in projects that adapt urban environments to climate change, including redesigning harbor areas and constructing storm surge protection measures along Copenhagen's coastline.

In addition to their collaboration with ARC, the BMA delegation explored partnerships with two other prominent Danish entities dedicated to climate-resilient urban development: Sund & Bælt—a state-owned company managing extensive infrastructure projects—and Henning Larsen, a notable architecture firm.

Sund & Bælt plays a crucial role in developing storm surge protections and assessing natural disaster risks, while Henning Larsen focuses on integrating sustainable practices with urban design to enhance quality of life in cities.

The delegation also met with representatives from Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism agency responsible for promoting the city’s tourism sector.

Wonderful Copenhagen introduced the CopenPay initiative, which encourages sustainable practices among tourists.

This program incentivizes visitors to partake in environmental activities, such as cycling, canal clean-ups, and park maintenance, through rewards including meals and guided tours.

A dinner discussion with Suphanvasa Chotikajan Tang, the Thai Ambassador to Denmark, concluded the day.

The Ambassador highlighted the historical diplomatic ties between Thailand and Denmark, emphasizing the need for public-private partnerships in urban development to sustain environmental integrity amid growth.

Copenhagen has recently been recognized as the most liveable city globally for 2025, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

This ranking assessed 173 cities across various categories, such as stability, healthcare, and infrastructure, with Copenhagen achieving a perfect score in three critical areas: stability, education, and infrastructure.

This accolade marks a significant achievement for the city, surpassing Vienna, which previously held the highest ranking.