The Role and Potential of Urban Public Park Services: A Case Study in Bangkok, Thailand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56261/built.v24.264185Keywords:
Field survey, Public park, Scalogram analysis, Service potential level, The role of public parkAbstract
Urban public parks play a pivotal multi-functional role in enhancing the quality of city life, providing spaces for recreation, physical exercise, environmental preservation, and social interaction. To establish robust design guidelines for future park management, this study evaluates the service potential of urban public parks across diverse functional capacities. Focusing on seven district parks in Bangkok, the primary research instrument utilized was a Scalogram analysis based on Guttman’s data arrangement concept. This method categorized park functionalities into five distinct dimensions: recreation, exercise, inclusivity (‘parks for all’), learning, and social interaction. The findings reveal that high-potential parks capable of concurrently serving multiple roles are predominantly concentrated in central business districts (CBDs) specifically Benchakiti Park and Lumphini Park. Crucially, the analysis demonstrates that a park’s service potential is determined by the diversity of internal activities and completeness of structural features, rather than being constrained by its spatial scale or geographic location within the CBD. Consequently, urban landuse planning in Bangkok should prioritize the programmatic richness and contextual design of park features over mere physical size. Enhancing these attributes will maximize the efficiency of urban green spaces and foster sustainable urban development.
Downloads
References
Abdelhamid, M., & Elfakharany, M. (2020). Improving urban park usability in developing countries: Case study of Al-Shalalat park in Alexandria. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 59, 311-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2019.12.042
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. (2021, February 22). Organization. Available from: https://official.bangkok.go.th/page/19?lang=th
Bressane, A., Silva, M., Goulart, A., & Medeiros, L. (2024). Understanding how green space naturalness impacts public well-being: Prospects for designing healthier cities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(5), 585. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050585
Chandrasiri, O., & Arifwidodo, S. (2017). Inequality in active public park: A case study of Benchakitti park in Bangkok, Thailand. Procedia Engineering, 198, 193-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.07.083
Delhi Urban Art Commission. (2020). Park design guidelines Delhi. City Level Projects.
Dennis, M., Cook, P., James, P., Wheater, C., & Lindley, S. (2020). Relationships between health outcomes in older populations and urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity. BMC Public Health, 20, Article 626, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08762-x
Environment Department. (2023). Service statistics, fiscal year 2022. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. https://webportal.bangkok.go.th/environmentbma/page/sub/18906/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3
Fang, W., & Tan, R. (2024). Smart screen design in public spaces: A case analysis of Xiushui square park in Chun’an county. E3S Web of Conferences, 565, 03024. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202456503024
Hooper, P., & Edwards, N. (2024). The Australian park life project: Development of a nationally standardised spatial layer and public participatory GIS for greenspace in Australian capital cities. MethodsX, 13, 102856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2024.102856
Huang, J-H., Floyd, M., Tateosian, L., & Hipp, J. (2022). Exploring public values through twitter data associated with urban parks pre- and post- COVID-19. Landscape and Urban Planning, 227, 104517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104517
Hunter, R., Cleary, A., & Braubach, M. (2019). Environmental, health and equity effects of urban green space interventions. In M. Marselle, J. Stadler, H. Korn, K. Irvine, & A. Bonn (Eds.), Biodiversity and health in the face of climate change. (pp. 381-409). Springer.
Kabisch, N., Qureshi, S., & Haase, D. (2015). Human-environment interactions in urban green spaces-A systematic review of contemporary issues and prospects for future research. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 50, 25-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2014.08.007
Kurt Konakoğlu, S., Demirel, Ö., & Celik, K. (2021). A research on the usage reasons of urban parks: A case study of Amasya courthouse urban park. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 12(1), 18-30. https://doi.org/10.29048/makufebed.846927
Luo, J., Liu, P., & Cao, L. (2022). Coupling a physical replica with a digital twin: A comparison of participatory decision-making methods in an urban park environment. International Journal of Geo-Information, 11(8), 452. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11080452
Mikuni, J., Dehove, M, D¨orrzapf, L., Moser, M., Resch, B., B¨ohm, P., Prager, K., Podolin, N., Oberzaucher, E., & Leder, H. (2024). Art in the city reduces the feeling of anxiety, stress, and negative mood: A field study examining the impact of artistic intervention in urban public space on well-being. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 7, 100215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2024.100215
Peerapun, W. (2013). Analytical techniques for regional and urban planning. Charansanitwong Printing.
Portalés-Mañanós, A., Urios-Mondéjar, D., & Casar-Furió, M. E. (2026). Participatory budgeting for the management of children’s green areas in Valencia: DecidimVLC and its impact on citizen participation. Land, 15(2), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15020311
Safo, L., Safo, A., Liwur, S., & Nti, E. (2024) Green spaces in Ghana’s built environment: Analyzing perceptions and urban planning perspectives through the lens of the new environmental paradigm. City and Environment Interactions, 24, 100168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2024.100168
Schetke, S., Qureshi, S., Lautenbach, S., & Kabisch, N. (2016). What determines the use of urban green spaces in highly urbanized areas? Examples from two fast growing Asian cities. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 16, 150-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.02.009
Selanon, P., Dejnirattisai, S., Sapsangthong, A., & Rutchumart, A. (2023). Research-based public park design for disabled people: A case study of aquatic center area, Thammasat university, Rangsit campus. Journal of Landscape Architecture and Planning, 5(1), 42-63. https://so01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LAJ/article/view/268926/175870
Sirina, N., Hua, A., & Gobert, J. (2017). What factors influence the value of an urban park within a medium-sized French conurbation?. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 24, 45-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.03.021
Strategy and Evaluation Department. (2013). Executive summary 20-year development plan for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration phase 1 (2013-2017) https://webportal.bangkok.go.th/public/user_files_editor/130/BMA-developmentplan/P20ys_phase1(2556-2560)sumEN.pdf
Strategy and Evaluation Department. (2022). Statistical profile of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration 2022. https://webportal.bangkok.go.th/pipd/page/sub/26222/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3-2565
United Nations. (2024). Goals 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11#targets_and_indicators
Wan, C., & Shen, G. (2015). Salient attributes of urban green spaces in high density cities: The case of Hong Kong. Habitat International, 49, 92-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2015.05.016
Wijaya, N., & Christianti, D. (2026). Assessing publicness in urban green open spaces: Lessons from Jakarta, Indonesia. Journal of Urban Management, 15(1), 360-374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jum.2025.07.006
Wiranata, B., Wongwiriya, P., & Thungsakul, N. (2020). The role of city parks: The case study of central Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies, 17(2), 181-206. https://doi.org/10.56261/jars.v17i2.240125
Wüstemann, H., Kalisch, D., & Kolbe, J. (2017). Access to urban green space and environmental inequalities in Germany. Landscape and Urban Planning, 164, 124-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.04.002
Xiao, J., Liao, J., Zhao, B., Long, Y., Xu, X., Liang, X., & Xia, T. (2024). The influence of community park characteristics on satisfaction in Guangzhou: Moderating and mediating effects analysis. Heliyon, 10(10), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31043
Zhang, R., Cao, L., Wang, L., Wang, J., Xu, N., & Luo, J. (2024). Assessing the relationship between urban park spatial features and physical activity levels in residents: A spatial analysis utilizing drone remote sensing. Ecological Indicators, 166, 112520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112520
Zhang, S., & Zhou, W. (2018). Recreational visits to urban parks and factors affecting park visits: Evidence from geotagged social media data. Landscape and Urban Planning, 180, 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.08.004
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Building, Urban, Interior and Landscape Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
