1

Apiwat Ratanawaraha and Saksith Chalermpong

The Fourth Annual Asia Public Policy Forum
Towards Transit-Oriented Development in
Bangkok: Evidence and Challenges
OVERVIEW ABOUT BANGKOK
Capital of Thailand and the center of everything
Registered population: 8.2 million
Bangkok City + 5 surrounding provinces: more than
12 million
A lot more if including unregistered
Bangkok City: approx. 1,500 sq.km.
Very flat and 1 m. below sea level
2
3
SUBURBANIZATION CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY
Built-up areas of Bangkok
TRANSPORT SYSTEM: A MODE-RICH CITY
Buses
Passenger vans
Mass rail and light rail
BRT
tuk- tuks
Motorcycle taxis
Canal and river boats
3
6
4
7
8
PHYSICALLY TRANSFORMED:
FROM WATER TO ROAD TO RAIL
canals
highways
rails
5
SHIFTING TOWARDS A RAIL-BASED CITY
Mass rail transit is now the core component of
urban transport policy and capital investment
Already 86.52 kms and 61 stations
98.62 kms and 62 stations under construction
By 2029, an additional 330 kms and 246
stations, extending the whole urban rail
system to more than 500 kms.
6
A VARIETY OF RAILS AND ORGANIZATIONS
BTS owned by Bangkoks local government,
operated by BTSC, a private concessionaire
MRT owned by MRTA, a state enterprise
ARL owned and operated by the State
Railway of Thailand
BRT (bus rapid transit) owned by Bangkok city
government, operated by BTSC
7
TOD IS TAKING SHAPE
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2538 2539 2540 2541 2542 2543 2544 2545 2546 2547 2548 2549 2550 2551 2552


MORE CONDO UNITS BEING BUILT THAN HOUSES
Condos
Houses
8
LOCATIONS CLOSE TO STATIONS ARE PREFERRED
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
1
9
9
1
1
9
9
2
1
9
9
3
1
9
9
4
1
9
9
5
1
9
9
6
1
9
9
7
1
9
9
8
1
9
9
9
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
2
0
0
3
2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
Within 1 km of transit station Overall
New Condominium Units within 1000m of Transit Stations vs. Overall
LAND VALUE CAPTURE: SKYWALK
First developed by a department store that is
located between two stations, as a way to
attract customers
Now buildings have to pay a large sum to the
BTSC to be connected directly to the stations
A total investment so far is more than 1 Billion
baht (35 million USD)
9
POLICY SUPPORT FOR TOD
Political support for TOD (vs. expressways)
Urban planning measures for promoting TOD
Additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR), i.e., allowed density,
for development within a 500 meter radius of a transit
station
Proposals to:
Abolish/reduce the minimum parking requirement for
each building
Adopt a transfer of development rights (TDR)
program, with areas around transit stations receiving
the densities
10
CHALLENGES
Inclusivity and affordability
Class transit and gentrification
From automobile-oriented to transit-oriented
segregation
from gated communities to high-rise condos
Gentrification for tourism
DISAPPEARING SHOPHOUSES AND LOW-INCOME
HOUSING
11
HOUSING AND TRANSIT
Low-income housing projects close to transit
stations in the suburbs
National Housing Authority (NHA)
Mass Rail Transit Authority (MRTA)
Density bonus in exchange for affordable
housing within 500 meters of transit stations
Condominiums for the lower-middle class
THE DEVIL LIES IN THE FEEDER SYSTEMS
Rely on informal transport
Motorcycle taxis and passenger vans
Transit riders walk more than before they
switched modes
Bus services have not adjusted to rail
development
Limited integration of informal transport in
urban transport policy and planning
12
LACK OF REGIONAL PLANNING
Lack of integration of regional land use and
transportation
Lack of implementation
A PLAN WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION
13
OVERLAPPING AND DISJOINTED ROLES IN
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
PLANS NOT COVERING THE BUILT-UP AREAS
14
WHAT MORE TO BE DONE
Change in policy mindset
Keep promoting TOD
Integration of informal transport into transport
policy and planning
Institutional re-alignment
Rationalization of bus routes to serve as feeder
systems for rail transit systems
Regional plan and agency
Value capture mechanisms
Property taxes
Special assessment
Promotion of civil society for transport issues
Livelihoods of transport operators matter
Transport governance and corruption issues
Use of ICT
WHAT MORE TO BE DONE
15
Thank you