Let The Evolving Land Save Bangkok Bay: The Transformation of Marginalized Land of Large Coastal Cities in Asia Dominated by Climate Change

The irreversible acceleration of sea level rise poses a major threat to high-density urban areas like Bangkok and other coastal cities in Thailand that have been, until recently, protected by the coastal ecosytems of the Gulf of Thailand. These extensive coastal areas are typically inhabited by marginalized people. The most representative is at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok Bay. In response, my thesis proposes a novel, incremental landscape strategy to restabilize the marginalised coastal settlements along the Gulf of Bangkok. Through several spatial tactics, the project reduces the rate of land erosion and ameliorates the damage and impact of storm surges. This provides the context for the development of several industries corresponding to the sea level over different time periods. Each household would thus be able to continue to cultivation and develop a new livelihood without giving up their land. It is a feasible strategy that is replicable, thus providing a climate-adaptive survival model for other similarly, marginalised settlements along the Gulf of Thailand.

By redefining the relationship between land, sea, and community, the proposal transcends conventional engineering approaches, advocating for a dynamic coexistence with environmental change rather than futile resistance.