Transformation of Bangkok Housing Development (1973 – 2022)

Abstract

Bangkok, the capital and the centre of development in Thailand, has led to rapid urban growth. In 1961, the 1^st National Economic and Social Development Plan led to mass immigration into Bangkok, which resulted in the concentration of housing in the urban areas and impacted housing management. Since the establishment of the National Housing Authority (NHA) in 1973, the government has improved the quality of life of urban residents, including slums and informal housing. Meanwhile, the private sector has produced a large number of housing units for middle to high income groups, all of which have impacted Bangkok's urban development. However, there has been no comprehensive study of housing development in Bangkok after the establishment of the National Housing Authority, which was a period of transition from a few numbers of self-constructed housing to the mass housing production by the public and private sector. This impacted the overall urban development of Bangkok. Consequently, it led to the overall study of housing development in Bangkok. This article aims to document housing development in Bangkok between 1973 and 2022, and analyze the role of housing in the urban development of Bangkok. This research utilized documentary data from the National Housing Authority, the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), and the Government Housing Bank (GHB). The data were analyzed through the creation of a housing development timeline, the change in the proportion of public and private housing units, the proportion of horizontal and vertical housing, the proportion of land use in Bangkok, the distribution of horizontal and vertical housing, and the density of each district. Experts in housing and urban development were then interviewed to verify the validity of the study results, with Bangkok serving as the study area between 1973 and 2022. The results of the study, derived from the creation of a housing development timeline, showed that housing development can be divided into three periods, consistent with the UN-Habitat I, II, and III. UN-Habitat I (1973–1986) saw the establishment of the National Housing Authority, rental housing, and new urban development. The government led the production of public housing, increasing production by 20,000 units annually. Real estate development was controlled by laws, including the Investment Promotion Act of 1977 and the Building Control Act of 1979. Transportation was still solely by road, with main roads including Phahonyothin, Sukhumvit, and Phet Kasem. This resulted in horizontal real estate development along the roads into the suburbs. UN-Habitat II (1987–2001) saw the real estate boom that led to the financial crisis. The private sector played a key role in housing production, driven by the liberalization of the financial market and various supportive policies. This led to widespread real estate speculation. Housing became a commodity, with the highest number of units produced annually. Following the financial crisis, the government implemented the "Baan Laan Lang (Million Homes)" policy to stimulate the economy, with the National Housing Authority returning to play a key role in the production of low-rise housing projects. Two city plans were developed, and the first sky train system was implemented. UN-Habitat III (2002-2022) saw the recovery and growth of the condominium market, driven by the "Million Homes" policy and the development of the sky train system, resulting in significant real estate growth along mass transit routes. The number of registered housing units annually had nearly doubled in size before the financial crisis. Studies show that housing plays a crucial role in urban development, as evidenced by changes in land use. The proportion of residential land increased throughout the three eras, from 12 percent in the first era to 24 percent in the second era and to 33 percent in the third era. Furthermore, there was a clear relationship with the growth of urban transportation routes, as evidenced by the development of low-rise housing projects in suburban areas during the first era, where housing projects grew along several major roads. This led to the concentration of condominiums around sky train stations, which have become the primary transportation routes for urban populations, leading to rapid urban density growth in the third era. In summary, housing is not just about providing shelter. It is also linked to economic prosperity, social stability, infrastructure development, and overall quality of life improvement in the city. Effective urban development strategies must prioritize housing as a key driver of sustainable growth. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), as a local government organization, should oversee the collection, analysis, and integration of statistical databases among relevant agencies through the inclusion of housing plans in the Town Planning Act. This aims to establish guidelines for inclusive urban and housing development that leave no one behind. This initiative can begin with collaboration between government agencies involved in housing development and the private sector to understand housing supply and demand, enabling more effective planning and implementation of housing policies to address, prevent, and mitigate the impacts of climate change and disasters on housing. Furthermore, relevant agencies at all levels should understand the goals of the new urban agenda, providing a framework for further implementation.