Shophouses in Bangkok's Chinatown : socio-economic analysis and strategies for improvements | |
| Author | Suwannee Tunphibulwongs |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. 1214 |
| Subject(s) | Community life--Research Chinese in Thailand |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The function of shophouses in Bangkok's Chinatown, priorities for physical improvements and dwellers' attitudes towards living there were systematically studied. Interviews were carried out among 158 shophouse dwellers, 10 apartment dwellers and 10 shophouse owners. It was found that even though Chinatown is one of the highest gross residential density areas in Bangkok, it is not overcrowded. The gross residential f l oor area r atio i s 4.1 to 8.0 square meters per per son. The average ground floor area of the shophouse is about 33 t o 48 square meter s. The monthly expenditure on housing of the dwellers is high: about 2,461 baht per unit. Most of the respondents were satisfied with the physical conditions of their shophouses . Tenure is secured mostly be mutual understanding, not by law enforcement. The interior decoration, adding another story, and replacing the old shophouse with a new one are the highest priorities for physical improvements . Only some improvements were done ift each shophouse due t o the lack of ownership, lack of time, lack of funds, the tardiness of the government in granting improvement permission, and the noncooperation of dwellers. The main purpose of staying there for the high-income group, is t he business location . For the low-income group, the cheap rent and the proximity to their work place are the great influences. Apartments function as dwellings for the poor and as extension rooms for the crowded shophouses. This study suggested that the main inducement to physical improvement of shophouse is to allow the dwellers to own whatever they will build in the shophouse . On the community level - excluding the main physical improvements t hat are the obligation of the government the National Housing Authority should try to help l ow-income people to live in substitute buildings when their shophouses become too dilapidated. |
| Year | 1977 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | Student Research Before 1979 |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Thesis (Year <=1979) |
| Chairperson(s) | Angel, Shlomo |
| Examination Committee(s) | Wong, Shue Tuck ; Kammeier, Hans Detlef |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | The Government of Japan |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1977 |