This paper examines the relationship between mono-economic growth and urban sensitivity. The selected case study is the Pak Phanang Municipality of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, which has a mono-economy of bird’s-nest businesses as its main economic base. The research methodology was divided into three parts. Part 1 includes the study of changing urban morphology caused by the growth of the mono-economy and the evaluation of urban decline from decentralization according to the theory of spatial centrality. Part 2 studies the distribution patterns of spatial and social sensitivity, using quantitative research and an indicator-based approach from the Social Vulnerability Index. Part 3 determines the relationship between economic, social, and spatial sensitivities together with the concentration of the mono-economy by applying an overlay technique. The study indicated that the growth of the mono-economy from bird’s nest businesses in the city center caused urban decline due to two significant factors: (1) Changing urban morphology — the city was not able to attract employment and various economic activities, which accelerated the migration of the population; (2) Changes in the socio-economic structure of the city center — as seen in the socio-economic sensitivity index — it was found that the city center had a high concentration of bird’s nest businesses which was greater than other urban areas. Therefore, the results determine that the growth of the mono-economy was the root cause of urban decline and an increased urban sensitivity. One potential suggestion is to strengthen the economic base of the city and create a variety of urban conditions to solve the root problems and help decrease urban vulnerability.
This research aims to identify the characteristic factors influencing the Thai-style public space utilization with the combination of variables of good public space characteristics following the occidental and Thai theories from the perspective of actual users in order to create new components or factors influencing the Thai-style public space utilization. Sanam Na Mueang Public Park, located in Nakhon Si Thammarat Old Town, was specified as the study area. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to classify 30 variables influencing the success of public space utilization; data was collected from questionnaire responses provided by 320 people. The results indicate that the new characteristic factors influencing Thai-style public space utilization consist of contextual connection and space identity, landscape elements, and aesthetics of public space utilization. These results reflect that both contextual connection and space identity, and landscape elements are consistent with occidental theories that prioritize physical characteristics and promote the access and facilitation, while the aesthetics of public space utilization, in contrast to occidental theories, prioritize the aesthetics of utilization and visibility to the surrounding people and activities.
An urban centre acts as the interface of economic activities and people and represents diversity, which can grow or decline over time. Here, we review the literature to explain the factors supporting and obstructing urbanisation based on three theories on urban morphology: theory of natural movement, theory of movement economy and theory of spatial centrality. Two research questions were then formulated to explain the morphological logic of urbanisation and the influence of the global movement grid on local natural movement, which are key factors supporting the growth and decline of each local neighbourhood within the city. The selected case study was Nakhon Si Thammarat Old Town at the global and local levels and the space syntax theory was chosen for analysis. The results indicated that the spatial configuration of the global movement grid influence urbanisation and local natural movement the most. Therefore, local public spaces must be designed to support the global movement grid, which is fed by natural movement and influenced by the global morphological structure.
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