Evolution of Riverside Commercial Districts in the Central Region of Thailand

Background and Objectives: Several riverside commercial districts in Thailand were once prosperous and the centers of development in those areas. Now, they are quiet, in a state of urban shrinkage, and seeing shops close. Most of the people in these areas are elderly due to the emergence of new commercial districts along the roads. This article aims to study the evolution of riverside commercial districts in the central region of Thailand to identify the factors that cause changes in the districts.  Methods: The researcher studied and analyzed the physical aspects of the towns, the use of rivers, the forms, and the commercial roles of the districts.  Results: The evolution of the riverside commercial districts in the central region can be divided into five periods: 1) the early period from the Dvaravati to Sukhothai, 2) the traditional or feudal period from the Ayutthaya to the early Rattanakosin, 3) the prosperous or free trade period, the raft-boat trading quarters and the riverside commercial districts from the reign of King Rama IV until 1957, 4) the decline or industrial period after the Chao Phraya Dam was in operation, and 5) the revival period or the riverside commercial districts under the concept of the creative economy. The factors affecting the change in the role of the riverside commercial districts in the central region district are politics, transportation, environment, natural disasters, the economy, and society. Application of this study: This article is useful for those interested in cultural capital, local history and wisdom, architecture, urban planning, and creative design. It can be used to further develop creative work, tourism activities, cultural communication, and the creative economy, for example, applying the information to writing novels and designing scenes for films and animations. Conclusions: The influx of outsiders and the evolving needs of local residents have driven the transformation of the riverside commercial districts. If a district lacked effective planning, management, and governance to solve environmental, natural disasters, economic pressures, and societal problems, its residents may begin to seek opportunities from new commercial locations, possibly leading to the deterioration of the old districts, leaving them shrunken or abandoned. These phenomena have always occurred through history, but nowadays, new commercial areas are usually not located along the rivers.