Infrastructure Plan for Urban Development during King Rama VII’s Reign: Western Seaside Resorts Development Act 1926
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Abstract
The purpose of this study aims to investigate the evolution of infrastructure development for urban planning during the reign of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) under the Western Seaside Resort Development Act B.E. 2469. The important factors that led to the establishment of the Western Seaside Resort Development Council were: (1) shortage of clean water due to the residential density in Hua Hin; and (2) tourism’s rapid growth after the operation of the southern railway passed through and linked to the international railways. The council was initially set up as a form of local government and functioned as a legal entity with its roles to manage infrastructure within their management area from the main Cha-am to Hua Hin. The council intended to develop Hua Hin to a leading international seaside resort town. Its projects involved infrastructure such as roads construction, electricity, water supply, school and hospital.
Therefore, this study would like to analyze the operation of the council based on the international standards. The findings reveal that the establishment of the council was a breakthrough evolution in modern urban planning since it was set up for infrastructure and town planning projects in Thailand. However, the operation could not be defined as the concept of municipality and local government existed in other western countries as all council committees were elected by the central government instead of the local resident.
King Prajadhipok had foreseen that the urban planning is part of the municipality. In addition to the collection of a property tax for infrastructure development, there was a local road tax. These taxes were coherent with the concept of Beneficiary-pays principle which is the same principle used in the expressway development project nowadays. However, this principle was ahead of its time as a modern infrastructure like this has not yet been established in Thailand at that time.
In conclusion, Cha-am and Hua Hin was known for the most modern resort destination of that time in which the operation run by the council was also recognized as the most outstanding evolution of infrastructure development in Thailand.
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