“If you ask whether we know the person next door, the answer may be no. Have we ever spoken to them? Perhaps barely at all. That connection is what is missing.”

— Police Lieutenant Colonel Manatsanan Kantasri

Sometimes, a city’s vulnerability does not arise solely from walls, roads, or unsafe spaces. It may also stem from people living alongside one another without knowing or trusting each other.

When social connections are weak, people’s sense of belonging and shared ownership of their community also diminishes. As a result, the city may lose the collective strength of local people working together to keep their community safe.

This idea was further explored during the Safe City Innovators workshop, which invited participants to examine urban challenges through the lived experiences of diverse groups and develop approaches that empower everyone to take part in creating and maintaining a safer city.

Because sometimes…
building a safe city can begin with something as simple as getting to know the person next door.

#SafeCityInnovators #นวัตกรเมืองปลอดภัย #SafeCity #DesignThinking #ThailandResearchExpo2026