Fire Recovery Area Management through the Approach of Fair Urban Rehabilitation under the Reign of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII)

Abstract

Fire is the major urban disaster that causes deaths and inflicts severe property loss to the community. Major fire in urban areas tends to occur when the city does not have a Building Control Act that specifies fire safety regulations and road planning for adequate fire prevention and mitigation. Urban expansion first started in Thailand during the reign of King Rama IV. During that time, most houses were clustered close to each other and constructed from non-fire-resistant softwood. When the fire broke out, it spread wider, increasing massive fire in the urban area. In addition, the lack of proper roads made it difficult to access; thus, help was often delayed. Preventive measures such as banning non-fireresistant and flammable materials in construction were issued to prevent fire incidents. At the same time, roads were constructed in order to improve accessibility. However, these measures were short-term solutions and did not consider the rights and fairness landowners or occupiers lost. Later during the reign of King Rama VII, Thailand adopted a fair approach to the rehabilitation of the fire recovery area. By enacting the Building Control Act in the Fire Recovery Area and the Royal Decree for Expropriation of Land and Other Immovable Properties, it provided fairness to landowners and legitimate tenants. Both measures were undertaken simultaneously in the same area to increase efficiency in the rehabilitation of the fire recovery area.