Bangkok Climate Action Week Kicks off Amid Floods
Bangkok Climate Action Week Kicks off Amid Floods
Reporter
October 5, 2026 | 01:19 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bangkok Climate Action Week (BKKCAW) 2026 kicked off on Saturday, October 3, 2026. This event, similar to New York Climate Action Week, will last until October 11, with an overarching theme of “Economy We Shape, Climate We Share.”
Organizers from Just Transitions Incubator describe BKKCAW as a regional climate gathering that platforms citizens, creatives, communities, and institutions to celebrate local leadership and collective imagination to sharpen the inclusive and climate-friendly future of Southeast Asia.
According to its website and official social media posts, BKKCAW 2026 has successfully gathered over 250 events with participants from more than 34 nations.
These events are widespread in the heart of Bangkok, including Lumphini Park, Benjakitti Park, Chulalongkorn University, as well as hotels and cafes or restaurants. Activities include discussions, exhibitions, policy dialogues, youth activities, cultural performances, concerts, public learning spaces, and other activities brought by each participant.
One Indonesian participant who has held their event is The Asia Foundation on October 3-4. They featured seven of the 171 women who are currently active in social forestry business groups and women forest guardians in their respective villages across South Sumatra, North Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, and Bali.
The seven Women Forest Defenders not only shared stories about women’s leadership, forest monitoring, advocacy, and sustainable forest product initiatives but also presented the diverse flavors embued in Indonesian forests through a variety of dishes and sambal preparations. The processing of local forest ingredients and their presentation were supported by the Indonesian Food Artists Association.
“We hope that stories from Indonesia can appear more often and be more widely recognized internationally,” said the Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, Hana A. Satriyo, when met at Lumphini Park, Bangkok, on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
She added, “We believe the stage at Bangkok Climate Action Week can be a stepping stone to further promote the good stories being developed in Indonesia.”
Climate Action Week in the Rain
The Bangkok Climate Action Week takes place amid widespread flooding across Thailand, including the capital. As torrential downpours batter the nation since last weekend, floods have taken the lives of at least 40 people in Bangkok, while thousands have been forced to evacuate.
The Thai Meteorological Department issued a second early warning last Friday that heavy to very heavy rain could still occur from October 4-7. This extreme weather comes at the end of the rainy season in the country.
“Moments like this actually bring BKKCAW’s goals closer to the host: how we can build cities, communities, and systems that are better prepared to face the reality that the climate has changed,” the organizer’s post reads.
The flooding in Bangkok reminds us how important is integrating climate resilience into public infrastructure, decision-making, and investments as climate change-fueled extreme weather disrupts daily life.
Read: Indonesia Advises Citizens in Bangkok to Stay Vigilant Amid Flooding
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