Streets as Public Spaces in Southeast Asia: Case Studies of Thai Pedestrian Streets

Abstract

This paper explores the pedestrian streets in Thailand and the idea of the street as public space in Southeast Asia. Based on pilot studies in 15 pedestrian streets and detailed fieldwork in four case studies in Thailand, this paper reveals an informal manner of street use for socio-economic functions and the multivariate roles of the street in Southeast Asian cities. Providing a comparative worldview about the street as public space, this paper expands the scope of public space studies and contributes to the understanding of street markets and street use as public space in Southeast Asia, a topic that is rarely discussed in the world’s urban design agenda.