IDENTIFYING CHANGES ARISING FROM GENTRIFICATION TOWARDS LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN THE INNER ZONE OF BANGKOK, THAILAND

Abstract

Gentrification has happened as a part of globalization process. In Bangkok, the urbanization induced gentrification has led to transformation of the neighbourhoods, causing the rising of economic pressure, changes and impacts on social class, particularly residents in low-income communities. This article explores 1) the extent to which how urbanization along Rama IV road in Bangkok has been evolved since 2014, leading to gentrification, and 2) what changes are the consequences towards slum communities, located in inner Bangkok, e.g. Phra Chen, and Pattana Bonkai communities. The gentrification and urbanization framework based on Davidson and Lees (2005) is applied in identifying changes in the communities regarding three dimensions, i.e. economic, social, and physical dimension. Data collection was conducted by semi-structured interviews with 80 households representing both communities. Findings indicated that changes in community are perceived differently among the residents. It was suggested that significant changes shade light on, capital reinvestment, social upgrading, indirect displacement of low-income people, and landscape changes. The community members are experiencing changes and uncertainties in various aspects, including land lease agreement, cost of living, sense of place, and the anxiety of being displaced. Despite the challenges, most of the respondents in this study are long-term residents, and there is a sense of hope as they believe they can adapt and coexist with the changes affecting their neighborhoods.