| Abstract | The network of roads, quality of roads, modes of transportation, services of rural transportation,
flow system and impact of rural roads in the context of rural regions are the major issues of this
study. Organization of space, diffusion of modern production practices, incentives to rural
producers, contribution to generate employment and income opportunities, and balancing ruralurban migration, increasing administrative inefficiency, and reduction of rural urban disparity
are considered to be the most likely impacts and outputs of improving rural roads and
transportation system. Thus this study has aimed to examine and analyze connectivity of places,
flow of goods and services and accessibility to places of higher order centers in contributing the
overall development, improvement of household lifestyle, and economic activities in the rural
regions of Thailand. The specific objectives are: (1) to identify and analyze the existing network
of road transportation; (2) to identify the present bases of flows of commodities and people, at
different levels and between different hierarchies of places; (3) to identify and analyze the
demand for rural transportation (flow of services) and the vehicle capacity that is serving rural
areas; (4) to analyze the inter-relationship between villages and higher order central places
through flow systems; (5) to identify and analyze the direct impact of road transportation on
rural development with focus on agricultural development, nonagricultural development,
population mobility and quality of life; and (6) to recommend transport planning and policy
approaches for rural development.
An empirical study is undertaken in two districts, one, Tha Rua District from the Central Region
and another, Bo Thong District from the Eastern region of Thailand. The two districts are
located at about the same distance from the provincial headquarters and national capital, the
former is categorized as "developed" and the latter as "underdeveloped" district. The research
is based on both secondary and primary sources of data. The major source of data is collected
through a questionnaire survey of 341 households, sampled by a random sampling method from
three subareas selected from each district. This is equally supplemented by a checklist of spatial
parameters related to each village, as well as secondary sources of data collected from local
administrative offices and other publications.
Appropriate research hypotheses are developed and analyzed to meet the objectives of this
research. A network analysis of road connectivity is done by using beta, gamma and alpha
indices. A flow analysis of goods and people is also done by using gravity and interaction
models. Accessibility to services is analyzed using correlation and regression techniques and
explained by transportation zones. The impact analysis of rural roads for different aspects of
socioeconomic issues related to rural development in general, household economy and quality
of life in particular are done by computing indices.
The findings reveal that the road density, degree of connectivity and degree of network
development are almost identical for two districts despite the differences in the number of edges
and nodes, hence indicate the same level of road networks development in general. Since all
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villages are connected by roads, the physical linkage or connectivity is not, therefore, a serious
issue. Nevertheless, differences in quality of roads between two districts exist in terms of Thai
standard criteria. However, the quality of roads is the major issue in two districts.
Although except for a small proportion of rural households, at least one means of transportation
is owned by rural households, largely invested from their household earnings or savings, and
majority of the means are utilized for both household and economic purposes regardless of
variation in two areas. There is a wide variation on the distribution of means by occupation of
household heads and by subareas within a district.
The marketing of agricultural produces follows a gravity function, i.e., selling agricultural
produces to higher order central places at nearby distance. A distance-decay function in people's
mobility is confirmed by the travel pattern of the people engaged in out-of-village activities
(service and wage labor). Eight types of means are used for different types of trips (daily
commuting, regular and occasional) which generate travel zones, each zone dominated by one
or several means of transportation with significant variation in two study areas.
Commuting to work places, economic activities and educational purposes generate most daily
trips, access to services generate once a week to a month or occasional trips and social activities
mostly generate occasional trips. Each household takes at least one trip regularly, once a week
to a month as well as occasionally for attaining a service and/or for social activities. Four zones
of travels for activities and access to services are identified in which specific means dominate
a particular zone with significant variations over two districts. Consequently, distance, time, and
money spent per trip are higher in underdeveloped area than in developed one due to the latter
being facilitated by good quality of roads and an articulated central places where former is
lacking very much.
Construction of roads, hence accessibility has been proved of great significance in rural
socioeconomic setting. From the existing situation, the improved quality of roads has contributed
higher accessibility (increased transportation frequencies, services, and safety, improved vehicle
condition and decreased fares), increased commuting facilities, convenience to travel and easy
communications and access to information. This situation has added substantial contribution to
the process of diversification of rural economy, rural urban integration, increased rural
competitiveness, better extension of support services, increased market threshold, and easy
access to agricultural market place along with easy access to social services.
A development approach with a focus on community participation for the improvement of quality
of roads and higher accessibility is recommended for planning as the important option in the
field of rural transportation development in Thailand. Based on this study it is very much clear
that the improvement in the quality of rural roads will ensure and promote the quality of living
in rural areas. |