Urban Sustainable Development in Nakhon Ratchasima and Implementation
of Pilot Project of the Kitakyushu Initiative
*Suravut Cherdchai
Lord Mayor
1. Background
Nakhon Ratchasima popularly known as “ Korat “ situated on Korat plateau, about
250 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. An ancient city with its original site located 31 km
southwest of its present site. The city was rebuilt within city walls on an area of 1.7 sq. km.,
with most of the population being military personnel and their families. During the reign of
King Rama V, the military area was expanded outside of the city walls to the south, with public
servants housing situated north of reservoirs. In 1900 the railway line between Nakhon
Ratchasima and Bangkok was developed, with the railway station located 1.5 km. west,
Subsequently, a commercial area, commonly known as Po Klang market, flourished
between the railway station and the city gate.
Map of Muang District
Map of Thailand
Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality is an urban center of Nakhon Ratchasima Province,
where important institutions and offices are located. Municipality gained its present status of the
local authority in 1935. Since then the urban area and population have increased many times.
Initially, community settlements were confined to being within the old city limits, and scattered
around the city drainage system. Both sides of the road leading to the railway station have
always been more heavily populated than other areas. Within the municipal boundary made up
of mixed high-density residential/commercial areas, radiating from Friendship highway and
around the railway station. While educational and governmental institutions are located mainly
to the north, high density low income housing is situated to the south. Three distinct industrial
areas have developed in zones especially along the major roads. All of the land uses, park and
recreational area occupies the least land, while residential areas take up the highest proportion.
In 1982 extended area from 4.397 sq. km to 37.5 sq.km. City expansion has been
constrained by the fact that the southern part of this province is designated as an army retraction
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area, while its northern portion consists of low-lying lands. Railway tracks cut across the
province dividing it into halves, community expansion has occurred to the east and to
the west. With the completion of the Friendship highway, urbanization has proceeded
rapidly along the sides of the highway in both the northeastern and the southwestern
directions. Around the municipality there are many constraints to growth. To the south it
is limited by the military area, lakes, railway lines, high density low income housing
and the development of the oil-refinery. To the north it is bounded by irrigation canal
and the Friendship highway . To the east and southeast are low lands. Hence most of
the built-up areas have been expanded to wards north-east and southwest. There has also
been a northern expansion along the main roads, in the form of housing estates,
especially after the development of Friendship highway. The southwestern expansion, in
particular, was encouraged by the convenience of existing infrastructure, low land prices,
non-interference from flood and the relatively short distance (5-8 km.)from the city center.
The present land use in municipality comprises of house , buildings , government
offices , educational institutions and commercial buildings , mostly dense around the old
city area which surrounded by ancient moat . There are scattered commercial buildings
and houses extended to the west along the road to railway station. Most of the
government offices, educational institutions, hospital are distributed in north part of
municipality.
Nakhon Ratchasima Area
The topographic feature of city is a plain sloping to the east. The north of city is
a low-lying plain ; while the southwest is plateau. Elevation about 175-185 meters above
sea level and lies along Lam Ta klong river. Most of soil are sandy. Average rainfall
1,043.1 mm. , relative humidity 71 % and average temperature 26.9 o c.
Nakhon Ratchasima in the Past
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Hydrogeology characteristics of Nakhon Ratchasima are hard rock. Mostly
composes of sandstone and shale with powder sandstone between the bedding planes.
Groundwater aquifers in these rock layers are very important because northeast region
mostly lies under these rock layers. The depth of ground water aquifers are in range of
20-60 meters. The main surface water resources is Lam Taklong river, which supply for
domestic, commercial, agriculture, industrial and others activities. Lam Taklong Dam
located at Sikhiu district is multipurpose dam, capacities about 120 million cubic meters.
There are small reservoirs ever been storage water for consumption within city most of
them are now preserved as natural and preserved area for recreation .
In 2000 registered population are 173,526 persons (male 83,094 and female
90,432) , population density is 4,627 person per sq.km. From the study it revealed that
about 20 % are non-registered about 46,460 person , population forecasts in municipality
about 234,418 people. Population settlement around the boundary of municipality
increased while the registered population in municipality changed decreased continuously.
Number of household still increased shows that non- register population in the city still
higher than the past.
Year
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Total
204,645
206,104
206,956
206,212
187,844
187,021
175,420
176,497
173,350
173,526
Population
Male
Female
104,302 100,343
104,896 101,208
105,033 101,923
104,465 101,747
87,437
100,407
86,807
100,214
84,526
90,894
84,791
91,706
83,263
90,087
83,094
90,432
Household
Family
49,861
51,501
52,920
54,662
56,678
58,355
60,517
61,206
61,338
61,935
35,095
35,684
35,410
35,095
34,737
34,902
35,237
35,180
35,168
35,566
2. Decentralization and Local Government.
A pillar of the new Thai Constitution (1997) is strengthening of local government.
The constitution clearly states that Local Administrative Organization at the Provincial,
Municipality and Tambon geographic scales should be given substantially increased
powers in term of policy formulation , development management, service delivery ,
administration and personnel management. In addition, the constitution indicates that the
Thai people have basic rights and freedoms related to participation in local governance.
The Eighth National Development Plan covers the same set of objectives as the 1997
Constitution; in addition, and importantly, it contains an objective related to increasing
prosperity in local and regional areas.
It is clear that the decentralization process in Thailand has been driven almost
exclusively by democratic forces based on a desire for more accountable , transparent ,
responsive and flexible. Government that better reflects local and regional preferences and
comparative advantages. However limited attention seems to have been given to the
competitiveness , resilience and equity implications of decentralization. Prior to the onset
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of the current economic recession in July 1997 this was less of an issue but now apparent
that realizing the economic potential of all Thai region, need to be an important
consideration in designing governance structures and processes.
Nowadays , in Thailand provincial government is a regional administration system.
The governor was appointed by Central Government from Ministry of Interior. While
municipal government is a local government. City mayor was elected by city assembly.
The member of city assembly were elected by people over 18 years within city. The
terms of the mayor and member of the city assembly are 4 years. The decentralization
policy by former government have changed local administration system in new concepts.
Central government tried to increased authorities to local government. There are 5 types
of local government in Thailand.:-
1. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
2. Municipality ( City and Town)
3. Special City Administration ( Pattaya )
4. Tambon Administration (Rural area)
5 Provincial Administration
The municipality was the most oldest local government administration, was initiated
about 65 year ago. The election system for City Mayor and assembly will change in next
2 years election. The City mayor will be elect directly by people. And deputy mayor will
be appoint by City mayor. While member of city assembly will separate elect. Function
of municipality in Thailand are ;
1. Public order control.
2. Registration.
3. Defense and protect public calamity.
4. Waste disposal and cleaning.
5. City planning.
6. Control of building.
7. Transportation.
8. Harbor & Parking arrangement and control.
9. Public area management.
10. Recreation area maintenance.
11. Slum area adjustment and residential arrangement.
12. Environmental development and conservation.
13. Public utility arrangement.
14. Public health and sanitation.
15. Cemetery Control.
16. Pet control.
17. Slaughter house management.
18. Regulation and control of public entertainment places.
19. Education.
20. Public assistance.
21. Social welfare.
22. Sport promotion.
23. Earning a living promotion.
24. Commercial promotion.
25. Property management.
26. Other functions.
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3. Development Scenario
Nakhon Ratchasima Province was classified land usage as 12.5 percent forest area,
68.8 percent agricultural area, and 17.8 percent combined industrial, government and
other lands. Survey of land usage this province found that 77.92 percent of the total
land area was a combination of agricultural, forest and derelict lands, while industrial,
residential and government – related land together accounted for 15.11 percent of the land
area. The latter category of land usage was g found to be densely concentrated within
the city center, and could be categorized by types as follows :
1) Business Centers : These centers are located in the inner city and serve as
focal points for business, commercial, financial and service activities.
2) Residential Facilities : These tend to be scatter around the business centers and
are densely concentrated in the western parts of the Province.
3) Industrial Areas : The Service industry is scattered on both sides of the
Friendship and Ratchasima–Chok Chai Highways, while large-scale industries and
agricultural-industry factories settled mainly in the Sikieu and Soongnuen District.
All forms of residential facilities and government related land usage should
together account for 45 percent of the total area, industrial, warehousing and ad hoc
industrial zones should jointly share 4 percent, and agricultural and rural areas should
command 27 percent of total land. It is envisaged that over the next twenty years.
Nakhon Ratchsima will continue develop as the leading manufacturing , trade and military
center in the northeast and will extended its role as a major transport center.. Industrial
activity in province will continue to be concentrated around the municipal area
reflecting the availability of labor and infrastructure. The nature and rate of economic
growth will be influenced by development of the industrial zone. It is expected that
Nakhon Ratchasima will be a manufacturing center and assume a major role at a
transport center and distributor of agricultural raw materials from the northeast to the
new industrial zone.
4. Healthy City and Local Agenda 21 Action Plan
Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality accepted the concept of Healthy City since 1995,
Staff of Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality go to visit some country for looking the best
practice and comeback to promote to the people in the city by Project “Muang khun Ya na u”
that mean the name of heroin Tao suranaree. Then setup 13 workgroup for implementation.
1. Road and Footpath
2. Park and Recreation Area
3. Office Cleaning
4. Enterprise shop, Restaurant, Barber
5. School
6. Bus Terminal, Pumping station, Garage
7. Community
8. Prison, Aid home
9. Lumtakong Canal
10. Temple
11. Solid waste
12. Renewable Energy
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13. Monitoring and Evaluation
Then Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality accepted the concept of sustainable
development and Local Agenda 21 since 1999. Department of Environmental Quality
Promotion , Ministry of Sciences Technology and Environment and Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA) supported technical and resources to promote Sustainable
development in municipality. Through long term city planning Local Agenda 21 will be
the strategies to develop human well being living in sustainable environment.
I purpose Nakhon Ratcasima or Korat will be a clean city with fresh air , clean
water , productive ecosystems and healthy people. The communities are working towards
sustainable development with improved health status and less environmental impacts. The
community members are participating actively in environmental , social , cultural and
economical activities in order to improve their quality of life. Many action will be taken
at my own level of work are: 1. Arrange informal meetings or workshop for information and education of
citizens and stakeholders and for discussions about cooperation project of
Sustainable Healthy City.
2. Invited NGOs to participate in stakeholder forums, discussions , cooperated
projects together.
3. Establish a state of environment monitoring system for water air and land
use including inventories of main sources impacting on the environment.
4. Disseminate newsletters and brochures to citizens and stakeholders about
Sustainable Development and Healthy City Project.
5. Formulate a municipal action plan for support of sustainable community
development.
6. Support communities to get started with their sustainable community work and
give technical advice for implement of priority projects .
7. Create a greening city plan , support school and community increase green area
and planting of trees .
8. Reduction of air pollutants emissions from motor vehicles by promote bike lane
system ,car-free day and use of biking within city.
Lumtakong Canal
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Key informants in community and stakeholders will help the project activities. Raising
awareness and increasing knowledge on Sustainable development among citizens and
stakeholders are important to get participatory in the work toward a sustainable society.
Water Quality of Lumtakomg Canal
The major water quality concern for the municipality is the water quality in the “Lum Ta Kong”
canal. This canal is the oldest canal of the city that flows through the city centers. The canal
originates from a water reservoir called “Luntakong Dam”, runs through the city and flows to
Mool River. The total length of the canal from the reservoir to Mool River is about 80 km. The
9 km section of the canal passes through the municipality. In the past, water from the canal was
used to supply to the municipality however in recent days (since mid 1980s) the water quality of
the canal is severely polluted making it unfit for use. The major reason for such severe canal
water pollution is the discharging of wastewater from nearby communities into the canal
directly without any treatment. Firstly, there are direct wastewater discharges from the houses
that stand just above the canal banks into the canal through the small pipes and secondly, there
are open wastewater channels coming from communities to discharge into the canal. In the
municipality area, the living of 814 households is connected with the canal for wastewater
discharges.
Lum ta kong Canal
Station 1
Station 2
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Water quality of canal at inlet and outlet of the municipality (on 6th May 1998)
Parameter
Station 1 (Before flow into the
Station 2 (After flow into the
City)
City)
Time
17.00
17.50
Air Temp co
34
33
o
Water Temp c
30
31
PH
7.57
8.31
Ec
395
735
TDS (mg/l)
246
434
DO 0.5 m.
5.8
8.8
DO 1.0 m.
8.8
8.2
BOD
4.6
33.3
COD
28.2
73.9
Nitrate
0.15
1.47
Phosphate
<0.05
0.71
Total Coliform
700
160,000
(MPN/100 ml)
Fecal Coliform
700
160,000
(MPN/100 ml)
Table above shows the various parameters of water quality of this canal before flowing into the
city and after flowing to the city. The measurement was made on 6th, May 1998. The points
where water quality was measured are shown in figure above. The table shows that the
municipality, mainly the local communities near the canal, is responsible for significant water
quality problem of the canal. There are 8 communities, which are connected to the canal and
each community discharges their wastewater into the canal through an open channel.
Initial success: Apart from wastewater, communities used to throw solid wastes into the canal.
The solid waste and wastewater had made canal virtually impossible for any aquatic resources
to live and flourish in the canal. The first task for the municipality was to persuade the
community to stop throwing solid wastes. In order to clean up the canal and to improve the
water quality, municipality authorities put significant energy and resources in the various
activities. Since June 2000, municipality launched an awareness program with the help of public
participation and partnership. The communities were educated on the potential benefits of
improving the water quality in the canal; the awareness program motivated them not to throw
the solid wastes into the canal; and also, local solid waste collection system was improved. Then
a local-group for canal cleaning was set-up, which operated every Thursday. After successful
experience in such awareness campaign, the municipality cleaned up canal up every Thursday;
and at the same time remaining solid waste in the canal banks and in the canal water was also
collected.
The program was successful in stopping the solid waste in the canal at large extents. Efforts
were also made in stopping the direct waster discharges from some of the households on the
banks of the canal. Just by these measures, the water quality of the canal improved significantly.
The clogged water due to solid waste and trees were cleared. Some aquatic resources have reappeared in the canal and also few animal species have been seen in and around the canal. The
canal has now become accessible through the motorboat. However, many other problems
including the problem of discharging wastewater from the 8 communities that are around the
canal has remained. There was no existing wastewater treatment system and the municipality
drainage system is not well equipped to collect wastewater from community household and treat
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it. In order to improve the canal further the city has initiated a project. The description of the
project is given below.
ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRES
ALONG LAMTAKONG RIVER IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA MUNICIPALITY
Objective:
1. To strengthen environmental public awareness of locals residing along Lamtakong
River
2. To strengthen more co-operation between government and private sectors to promote
eco-tourism activities along the river.
3. To create environmental education centers in local communities nearby the river.
4. To preserve landscape by growing special native plant species along the river.
5. To enhance local people’s way of living in sufficient economy.
Description of planned activities/implementation:
Still people along the river throw garbage and discharge waste water through river because they
are not much concerned to the environment. Further public awareness campaigns will be
launched to make the clean up program sustainable. There are many ways to change people’s
behavior but that requires people participation. The implementation plan include:
1. Starting a local volunteer group, which would be responsible for preserving river by
monitoring water quality. They will be equipped with test-kit for dissolve oxygen
measurement. The monitored water quality results would be disseminated by displayed into
the signboards. Department of Environmental Quality and Promotion (DEQP) of Ministry of
Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) would assist in technical support and other
aspects.
2. Setting up environmental educational centers in the communities. In Municipal Schools
those center, staffs will be allocated to lecture student and people on environment, on native
plant, and on issues such as how to participate with the program
3. Volunteer groups in the communities would make efforts to cleanup every month. In this
way, people in communities would have a chance to participate and raising their awareness.
4. Similarly, river-bank landscape management would be enhanced by planting the native
plants and removing the illegal structures and buildings along the river. This is expected to
increase the river’s capacity to promote tourism.
5. Other planned activities are promoting native lifestyle along the river such as organic
agriculture, handicraft, floating market and gardening.
6. Campaigning for public particiaption
Concrete targets:
Significant environment conservation and socio-economic development along the canal.
Targeted areas:
All municipalities’ communities residing along Lamtakong River listed as follows: - Lam Takong Kao Community (147 household)
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-
Bumaka Community (106 household)
Samrongchun Community (166 household)
Kaset Samakee Community (167 household)
Mahachai Community (173 household)
Tung Sawang Salaloy Community (212 household)
Tung Sawang Community (278 household)
Lung - watsamakee Community (94 household?)
Responsible Organization:
-
Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality (Bureau of Public Health and Environment,
Bureau of Public Works)
DEQP
City of Nakhon Ratchasima
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
Project Duration:
-
Year 2001
Budget:
-
200,000 Baht
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KITAKYUSHU INITIATIVE PILOT PROJECT
The project described above “Eco-tourism Development and Environmental Education Centres along
Lamtakong River in Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality”, will be accomplished with the existing
resources of the municipality and assistance from other agencies. The municipality is proposing
to improve water quality in the canal in the Pilot Project of Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean
Environment. Such pilot project would be directly helpful to municipality’s ongoing activities
in the canal. Without improving the water quality, the Eco-Tourism concept of Lam Ta Kong
canal cannot be achieved.
Pilot Project Setting:
As mentioned in earlier sections, 8 communities discharge their wastewater directly to the canal
through open channels. Municipality has realized that the construction of the 8 waster water
treatment plan, one for each community would drastically improve the water quality in the
canal. Apart from this, few isolated wastewater discharge sources coming from few houses in
the bank of the canal can be stopped with the existing and planned awareness and participation
program.
Municipality has made attempts to use the existing technology and experience of the
municipality for constructing the wastewater treatment plants. As a demonstration, 2 locally
made wastewater treatment plants were constructed for 2 of the 8 communities that discharge
wastewater to the canal. The locally made treatment plants were successful in reducing the
water pollutants significantly. Figure below shows that treatment site and the plant.
The results from the two communities are mentioned in the table below. The BOD removal is
very significant.
BOD Test on Simple water treatment Plant
Date 10 August, 2001
Tung Sawang Community
Parameter
PH
BOD
IN
5.9
188
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OUT
5.9
66
Date 13 September, 2001
Tung Sawang Community
Parameter
PH
BOD
IN
5.9
86*
OUT
5.9
60
Mahachai Community
Parameter
PH
BOD
IN
6.0
88*
OUT
6.0
42
* Have many rainfall.
Such simple water treatment use easy method. In such treatment system, some media is used
such as small plastic bottle for filtering the wastewater. The small plastic bottle can attach silt
and digest. For construction of the treatment system concrete tank is made and this treatment
system can be use for about 20 years without changing the media inside tank. Such locally
available and tested technology is proposed to use in 5 communities along Lum ta kong, Those
communities are,
- Bumaka Community (106 household)
- Samrongchun Community (166 household)
- Kaset Samakee Community (167 household)
- Tung Sawang Community (278 household)
- Lung - watsamakee Community (94 household?)
If the information on other efficient and low cost technology would be available through the
Kitakyushu Initiative affiliated cities, municipality would like to explore superior technology
and their potential use in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Pilot project objectives:
The pilot project objective would be
-
To significantly improving the waster quality in the Lam Ta Kong canal.
To support the few households to construct simple treatment plants in house before
discharging to canal
To Provide support to existing municipality canal improvement activities
Project Targets:
The project target is to construction of the wastewater treatment plant at 5 communities to meet
the project objectives. The constructions of the treatment plants are expected to improve the
water quality in the canal substantially.
Measurability of the project outcome:
The outcome of the project would be demonstrated in the form of the quantitative indicators.
Various water quality parameters would be measured along the canal before and after the
project, at upstream and downstream of the city, to establish the contribution of the project to
the water quality of the canal. The active support from the Department of Environmental
Quality and Promotion (DEQP) of Royal Thai Government is assured in the process.
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Project duration:
The project duration would be about 8 months starting as soon as possible.
Budget estimate:
800 US$ per Communities
5 Communities
Instant Tank
Cover
Cement
Media
Labor 3 manday
Amount
20
4
20
400 kg
10 day
Cost
6
4
5
1
6
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total
120
16
100
400
180