Effect of Transportation Development on the Urbanization in Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to examine the spatial effect of road density on the urbanization in Thailand during the period 2013–2017. The urban density is proxied by the nighttime light data obtained from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night band (VIIRS-DNB) satellite. The OpenStreepMap (OSM) database provided the road network data of each sub-district (or tambon in Thailand’s administrative classification) and other explanatory variables, including building footprints and points of interest. These data represent the geospatial locations of human settlements and economic activities, such as residential areas, retailers, commonplace spots, and public agencies. The first analysis utilized the local indicators of spatial association to investigate the geographical correlations. Result shows the statistically significant correlation between road density and nighttime light. The second analysis used spatial regressions to examine the spatial casualties of road density, along with other variables, on urbanization. Results econometrically reveal that road density exerts a statistically significant positive effect on urban expansion. These findings confirm the significance of road density on urbanization and affirm the necessity of transportation infrastructure investment. This study further suggests future expansions involving the integration of satellite images, geospatial data, and spatial econometric methods to quantitatively explore the spatial relationships.