Bangkok Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, has a high density population and viable economic prospects. According to the results of land use/cover change and landscape metrics analyses, built-up area in Bangkok increased substantially between 1988 and 2014. Built-up areas expanded almost evenly along the existing urban areas in all direction. Urban growth process in Bangkok was dominated by extension and densification. The land use/cover projection under the current scenario indicates that built-up area will fill most area within 30 km from the city center of Bangkok and that will also spread comparatively linearly and irregularly to the outer edge of Bangkok. After the 1980s, the influx of foreign companies including Japan promoted the development of Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR). Such prominent urban development of Bangkok brought various urban problems, such as traffic and water environmental problems. Countermeasures against these problems are highly important for sustainable development in the future.