Bangkok to Launch Plans to Manage 100,000 Stray Dogs in Early 2026

BANGKOK — Bangkok plans to roll out a citywide program in early 2026 to manage an estimated 100,000 stray dogs, with mandatory pet registration and microchipping forming the core of the effort, city officials said.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that registration is key to tracking pet ownership, promoting responsible care and reducing problems caused by stray dogs and cats. The city has already set up a dog shelter in Prawet district, he said, and will require all dogs and cats to be registered and microchipped beginning next year.

The regulation, drafted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Council, will take effect on January 10, 2026. Pet owners must implant microchips and register animals within 120 days of birth or within 30 days of acquiring a pet.

Stray dogs are seen in an alley in Bangkok’s On Nut area. Photo courtesy of the Dogpity animal welfare volunteer group.

The rules also limit the number of animals allowed based on property size — for example, no more than two pets on properties smaller than 20 square wah — and require pets to be leashed in public and owners to clean up after them. Violators face fines of up to 25,000 baht ($700).

Chadchart said owners would be able to register any number of dogs, as authorities want to know where animals are located across the capital. He added that more developed cities tend to have far fewer stray dogs than Bangkok.

He acknowledged challenges in implementation, including inconvenience to the public and a shortage of microchips, which has prompted complaints from residents who visited clinics only to find supplies unavailable. The city plans to procure an additional 50,000 microchips and is collecting feedback before finalizing further measures.

Eight BMA veterinary clinics offer free registration and microchip implantation.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is also considering mobile registration services and expanding free microchip distribution to reduce inconvenience and reliance on higher-cost private clinics.

Addressing existing stray dogs, Chadchart said the city cannot take in all animals. Instead, authorities aim to sterilize and vaccinate as many strays as possible before returning them to their areas to prevent further breeding and gradually reduce the population.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Council member Kanoknuch Klinsang of Don Mueang district said an animal welfare volunteer group plans to submit a letter opposing the regulation. The group argues it would create long-term burdens and enforcement problems, citing restrictions based on property size, difficulties for tenants who need landlords’ permission, and concerns about microchipping.

Kanoknuch said she has raised the issue with the governor’s office, adding that the concerns have been acknowledged and discussions are under way with the Department of Health to consider possible adjustments.

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