Impact of Waterside Community Development Project: A Case Study Western Road Canalside Community, Bangkok

Abstract

Abstract

This aims to study residential impact of canal development project. Using qualitative research. Data were collected by 25 key informants with in-depth interviews, participant observation, and non-participant observation. Content analysis was a method used to analyse qualitative data

            The study found that Western Road Canalside Community was changed by residential impact of canal development. The project was affected both positively and negatively from the project in 3 areas including (1) housing, (2) economic and (3) social and cultural. The positive impact of housing is to get a new, beautiful, cheap house and have a contract to buy a stable house and land in writing with the Department of the Treasury for a period of 30 years. The negative impact is that those who accept the lease, stable homes and land will lose their original ownership            in the area in the community. And have to sign a contract to hire a stable house and land every 30 years. The positive economic impact is that government agencies have career promotion and establishment of community enterprises. To generate income for the community while the negative impact is that those who have engaged in the same profession have lost their original occupation and income until the project is finished. And the positive social impact is the dam construction along the canal to prevent flooding in Bangkok the community is organized to be beautiful, and pleasant to look at. The negative impact is that people in the community are divided into two groups, which are people participating in the project. And groups of people who do not participate and do not want the project and caused problems for family members to live separately School-aged children have to move to live in a new area away from the school, including the disappearance of the community culture of people in Western Road Canalside Community.