Urbanising Thailand - A closer look; implications for climate vulnerability assessment

This report summarizes a series of studies carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of Thai scholars. It focuses on the dynamics of urbanization and climate change risks, and on the linkages among urbanization, climate change and emerging patterns of urban poverty and vulnerability. It provides new and key insights, serving as a comprehensive foundation for further research on urban climate vulnerability and resilience.

Urbanization processes as transformative processes are under-researched themes, not only in Thailand, but also in countries in Southeast Asia. Rapid physical and social transformations are taking place in these countries, yet the implications contributing to vulnerability are less well-understood.

The research has focused on case studies from established and growing urban centres from across the country – Bangkok and the neighbouring area of Lad Krabang, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen. Each case study presents its own specific insights into the history, drivers and implications of urbanization, and also highlights many similarities.

Drawing on a review of historical patterns of urbanization and future risks associated with climate change, this research argues for a fundamental rethinking of future urbanization in Thailand. This is a future that will need to be very different from current trajectories of urbanization, based on a policy process that will need to be founded on informed public dialogue.

Available from:

http://pubs.iied.org/10770IIED.html?c=urban