| Author | Woorawut Roomratanapun |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.HS-00-01 |
| Subject(s) | Sewage disposal plants--Thailand--Bangkok
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| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of doctor of Philosophy, School of Environement, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. HS-00-01 |
| Abstract | Environment conditions around the world are deteriorating and drastic actions in terms of changed life styles and massive investments inenvironmental infrastructure will be necessary to stop the environmental degradation.For such actions to be successful, a thorough understanding of the factors that determine the acceptability of such actions. Water pollution is a problem all over the world and also in Thailand and particularly in Bangkok. The Government of Thailand and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration have realized the seriousness of the problem and have started the construction of centralized wastewater treatment systems. The idea of centralized wastewater treatment is new for Bangkok where wastewater is normally treated on site in septic tanks. The start-up and operational costs of a wastewater treat- ment system are high. The success and the sustainability of the system require the support of the Bangkok population. In order to gain this support, a better knowledge and understanding of the environmental concerns of the Bangkok population, their willingness to pay for environmental improvements and the acceptability of a wastewater treatment project is needed. The study applied the theory of diffusion and adoption to examine the acceptance of the project by the residents of Bangkok, the contingent valuation method to analyze the willing- ness to pay of Bangkok residents and the theory of environmental psychology to investigate the factors influencing acceptance of the wastewater treatment project by Bangkok residents. Two main research methods used in this study were the personal questionnaire interview survey and the willingness-to-pay method. In addition, techniques like the bidding game and scenario building are applied. In total, 367 respondents in Phayathai district of Bangkok were interviewed. The Bangkok residents preferred a centralized system, but they had no clear preference for a cost recovery system. The majority preferred the convenience and easy comprehension of a volume- tric flat rate system. Two-third of the reSpondents preferred a separate collection system and expressed a preference for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as the fee collecting agency. Most were willing to pay Baht 36-87 per month or Baht 3.28 per m3, while the rate proposed by the BMA is Baht 3.50 per m3. Distance to a Idong (canal) and the direct experience of polluted surface water did not have any influence on the preferences. Monthly household income, level of education and environmental awareness were the principal factors that influenced acceptability of various aspects of the wastewater treatment system. However, acceptability declined, when direct costs and changes in life style were involved. The conclusions of the study support the claim that the process of acceptance of wastewater treat ment in Bangkok is closely related to the concept of adoption. the study found that complex stimuli such as cost-effectiveness and the convenience of the technology tend to influence the acceptability of the wastewater treatment project by Bangkok residents. In order to be able to introduce measures that require sacrifices from the population, the BMA should undertake campaigns of public hearings, public education and public surveys to know public opinion and the public's willingness to pay. |
| Year | 2000 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. HS-00-01 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Knoepfel, Peter; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Sheng, Yep Kioe;Zimmermann, Willi; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology |