:: International Transaction Journal of Engineering, Management, & Applied Sciences & Technologies
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ISSN 2228-9860
eISSN 1906-9642
CODEN: ITJEA8
FEATURE PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLE
Vol.17(3) (2026) |
Evaluating Pedestrian Walkability and Lingerability in Bangkok’s Chinatown
Alif Samsey, Bhattraradej Boonsap Witchayangkoon (Department of Civil Engineering, Thammasat School of Engineering, Thammasat University, THAILAND),
Ahmad Sanusi Hassan (School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MALAYSIA), and
Yasser Arab (Department of Architectural Engineering, Dhofar University, SULTANATE of OMAN).
Discipline: Multidisciplinary (Urban Management, Infrastructure Engineering, Climate Science, Public Policy).
doi: 10.14456/ITJEMAST.2026.15
Keywords: Walkability metric; Lingerability metric; Socio-Spatial Friction; Pedestrian dynamics; Living heritage; UTCI; Southeast Asian urbanism; Walk Score; Microclimate; Lingerability deficit; Walkability friction; Micro-level lingerability; Spatial audit; Friction Paradox; Stayability; Micro-cooling oasis; Chinatown sidewalk; Walker’s Paradise.
AbstractThis work looks at the movement of people around Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat), Thailand. It involves how easy it is to walk (mobility). Also, it relates to how much people want to stay in one place (lingerability). Traditional urban design ideas usually think that smooth walkways help create lively public spaces. However, high-density tropical areas contest this idea. This study uses a mixed method within a 500m radius of the MRT Wat Mangkon station. The methods are spatial audits, Jan Gehl’s (2010) Public Space-Public Life protocols, and local Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) measurements to analyze how pedestrians behave. The study results show a localized Walkability Friction Paradox. Even though structural barriers and busy street vendors cut down effective clear sidewalk widths by over 50%, this environmental friction functions as a spatial regulator. Pedestrians intend to slow down to a speed of 0.65 m/s in the narrow sois (alleys). This shifts the focus from transit commuters to those who explore and linger. Stationary activities are not supported by formal civic infrastructure but rather by flexible informal setups, like active shophouse thresholds, vendor stools, and microclimate shading created by the narrow alley dimensions. This study points that universal, Western pedestrian models do not represent the socio-spatial dynamics of informal, high-density Asian environments. It shows that spatial friction can actually improve urban place-making rather than obstruct it. This research provides practical, low-cost tactical urbanism recommendations. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration should implement pedestrian-friendly improvements like temporal zoning and adaptable curb extensions. This can keep the informal economies and cultural heritage that shape Yaowarat's identity.Paper ID: 17A3A
Cite this article:
Samsey, A., Witchayangkoon, B.B., Arab, Y., Hassan, A.S. (2026). Evaluating Pedestrian Walkability and Lingerability in Bangkok’s Chinatown. International Transaction Journal of Engineering, Management, & Applied Sciences & Technologies, 17(3), 17A3A, 1-17. http://doi.org/10.14456/ITJEMAST.2026.15
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