1. Introductionsurroundings) levels. In macro scale analysis, thisThailand plans toresearch identifies the complexity of traditional waterfront
communities using statistical method. To classify thecultural heritage tentative list. However, the proposedwaterfront community, the rapid survey of structural

cultural significant of Chao Phraya River was focusedremaining in Chao Phraya River basin has been

only the areas of central Bangkok where the golden

implemented

pagodas and the national historic places were located.

hierarchical clustering and decision tree analysis. Then

Life along the river, including local people who make theprinciple component analysis has been employed toriver home, modest irrigation works for agriculture,

grasps complex variations in each cluster.

indigenous fishing traps, and different use of water has
been overlooked.

throughqualitative

methods

using

The case study analysis will be employed to analyze
micro level approach to socio-economic and culturalThus, research provided the fundamental information

background, through the quantitative survey of the visualon the interaction between human settlement and thedata and secondary documentation. The matching casenatural environment along the Chao Phraya River

selection was based on a study by Kwansuwan (2014)

throughout the river basin. The understanding of their

which mentions the spatial configuration of a typicalnatural environment and its efficient adaptation to theirtraditional village, revealing the association between

way of life reflects in the architectural and built heritage,

agricultural area, village, and waterbody. The samplingin the cultural landscape, which is considered a genuine

selectionand an outstanding model for sustainable way of life. This

probable match in the traditional conditions.

wasscreened

for either

anactual

is an important inventory accumulation contributing towaterfront community preservation measure in the future.
This research is expected to be an example of a wellpreserved

traditionalriverside

spaceandriver

nomination
dossier.
2. Research method
The research posed systematic description of thecultural and natural phenomena in motivated mixed
method which conducted at both macro (large-scale riverbasin) and micro (buildings, community and theirFigure 1 location of traditional waterfront communitiesor3. Characteristics and classification

where the public pier is located at the waterfront. TheThis section gave a systematic overview of thecluster is settled in single-centric (nucleated) plan

traditional waterfront community complex in the Chaosurrounded by agricultural areas of paddy fields andPhraya River Basin to identify the phenomenology andpost-agricultural products (rice mills) and the center forsalient features characterizing the waterfront community.

trading along the main river. The settlements are along theMacro scale analysis was used to focus on the bigger

main transportation route running through the north-south

picture of community complexity and vernacularcorridor of the Chao Phraya River and influenced byarchitecture throughout the river basin to encode theactivities for economies of scale.

association of socio-economic activities, environmental
features, and physical structure. Contextual characteristics,
including specific features and components, also provide
practical ways to monitor and safeguard the traditional
community and related cultural activities in-situ.
The evaluation criteria covered four domains to reveal
the complexity of urban organisms, including the broader
urban context in the setting of its geographical waterfrontcommunity.
(1) Features of geography and waterbodies,(2) Cultural landscapes and agricultural activities,

Figure 2 Riverport town of Sriprajan community(3) Urban components, and(2) Paddy village(4) Architectural features

Granary stores, barns, and other agricultural related

A total of 138 traditional waterfront communities wasselected

using

thepurposive

sampling

structures (including fish trapping) are the main features

method.

of the community cluster. The agricultural activities

Quantitative data collection was conducted using field

associated with housing and the environment were built

investigation to collect and evaluate the validity ofusing vernacular and/or a traditional Thai house structure,properties in actual conditions. The data were analyzed

on land with a raised floor on high stilts. The houses wereusing a statistical analysis program to examine theclustered around the community space which contained asimilarity and correlation of the data set. To identify

Buddhist temple.

characteristics, hierarchical clustering and decision-tree
analysis were used to group similar communities together
and classify the complexity of a traditional waterfront
community. Principal component analysis was then used
to detect the true association between the relevant
variables. In addition, qualitative assessment of secondary
document collection, legislation, previous and present
public policies, research, and criticisms were used tosupport the argument for statistical analysis.
The results provided seven clusters based on commonpreferences. These clusters show diversity in the cultural

Figure 3 Paddy village of Bangbaan community

landscape, with agricultural activities exerting influence(3) Raft community

on the community complex, creating both direct andThe raft community was very popular, especially duringindirect association, with several significant variables.

the Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin periods. Raft houses(1) Riverport town

were very practical for the flooding conditions of theThe Riverport town is characterized by traditional

central flood plain (Panin, 1998). As the only

double-floor wooden row houses with a central market

on-water-surface structure it can be easily transportableup and down the river. Due to the temporary nature of thefeatures of the Estuarine agricultural village. The

raft house, it can easily be destroyed. Since 1945 the raft

community of single-centric wooden houses were built on

house clusters in Bangkok have disappeared (Denpaiboon

land and clustered around a Buddhist temple, surrounded

et al, 2000). Only four authentic raft house clusters wereby agriculture.

accepted as traditional settlements under threat.

Figure 6 Estuarine agricultural village of Bangkeaw salt paddy(6) Orchard village
Figure 4 Raft house of Sakeakrang RiverThe Orchard village combined orchards, shophouses, row(4) Canal trading village

houses, and a market. The clusters subsisted on theTypical single-floor wooden row houses were clusteredagricultural activities of the orchard landscape complex

on the east-west corridor of the lower basin. The houses

which exerted influence on material cultural design.

were positioned along one-side or both-sides of theDispersed settlements were associated with the orchardist

waterways of the commercial hub. The cluster was built

agricultural landscape and salt paddy agricultural areas.

adjacent to the canal, with the walkway runningLand use and area consumption based on function

in-between. This corridor served as a common/shared

illustrated a long distance association between agriculturalveranda, one of the smallest public spaces, and connectedareas, processing plant, community, and market.

to the row houses. Functionally, the housing combined ashophouse and residential unit, connected to theagricultural landscape and product suppliers at the rear.

Figure 7 Pradoo canal Orchard village(7) Coastal fishing village
The amphibious vernacular community housed on highstilts in the fishing village demonstrated outstanding
Figure 5 Canal trading village of the Raheang canalfishing activity in the lower delta and related estuary areas.

(5) Estuarine agricultural village

Fishing and fish processing related structures were a

The estuarine-agricultural activities and associatedresult of important activities related to the wetland culture.

structures, including shrimp farm shelters, coconut farms

It was primarily used for wetland resources vulnerable toand processing plants, nipa shingles, mangrove wood

conversion for global environmental reasons. A series ofcharcoal plants, and salt paddy plants, were importantwooden houses with an attached pier were alignedalong the canal network, connected to offshore fisheries
KratengKrateng(1) River overflows in paddy villages

involves aThe indigenous people of the Chao Phraya River Basinwooden shelter for local fisheries built on high stilts towere predominantly reliant on rice cultivation, covering

monitor the cockle farms. However, most of the remoteover half of the total land use. However, the villages andare currently used by tourists as an

associated structures were represented the modest cultural

exotic destination.

practices related to their agricultural activities. The
surrounding

environment

exertedinfluence

oversettlements and livelihoods, not religions or beliefs(Muadthong, 2005).
(2) Irrigation network of ditches in orchard villages
The unique socio-economic activities in the orchardvillage complex, consisting of the isolated orchard withthe local-made processing plant, marketplace, floatingmarket, and traditional housing, were completed within acanal system. Agricultural and post-processed agricultural
products were usually self-marketed. The orchard villages
were scattered in the lower delta, located in brackish
Figure 8 Leam yai fishing village

The community-based agricultural clusters wereculturally landscape oriented, where the clusters andwater territory. Agriculture and water management relied
extensively on natural water circulation.
(3) Brackish water circulation in estuarine agricultural

associated structure ensembles took a different form

villagesdepending on specific agricultural activity. The cluster

Estuarine agricultural villages along the coastal region

accommodated a variety of agriculture and storage

were influenced by seawater interpenetration, covering

structures characterized by the diverse cultural landscape,larger areas along the Gulf of Thailand coastline. The

especially in the lower basin. Diversity of the cultural

associated coastal vegetation of the settlement, such as

landscape and agricultural activities exerted influence onmangrove forest, and Nypa palm, was extremely

the settlement pattern and architectural design.

important to the indigenous environment. Mangrove
forest remains important since it has an indirect impact on

4. Influence of Water Circulation on the Living Culture
This section provided information on the significancelocal livelihoods.
(4) Wetland fishery in coastal fishing villagesof water to the cultural human living pattern. Based onThe coastal fishing village demonstrated an outstanding

contextual characteristics of the waterfront community

culture-based fishery in the related offshore area. Thecomplex, it reveals the influence of water-to-landscapevillage, with its offshore fishing shelter was a prominent

through analyzing the relationship between settlement

tangible structure representing a plentiful sea resource.

patterns, way of life, and environment. The perspective

Indigenous people relied on fishing and fish processing,narrows down to the community level, where the selectedwhich were important cultural modes of living in thetwelves case studies were investigated. The section waswetlands. Since wetland resources are very sensitive tobased on a qualitative approach, to examine the generalchanges in the global environment, the lifestyles of thepattern of amphibious livelihoods from past to present,

indigenous people were under threat and vulnerable toincluding changes and processes of adaptability tofluctuations in traditional socio-economic activities.

declination. Investigation was implemented by reviewing(5) North-south corridor river trading in riverport towns

secondary data collection and oral history and collectiveThe

memory by the interview method. The results found that

distribution/collection center for the agricultural products

water circulation patterns have exerted influence onof the neighboring village. The settlement was scatteredtraditional daily life over several decades:

along the main river running north-south of the basin,

riverport

town

was

anurbancommercial

commonly found at the point of convergence where theemploying

traditional cart track meets the river.

analysis were also used to support/argue the findings.

(6) East-west canal network trading in canal trading
villages

primaryandsecondary

documentation

As a result, the sites are considered as the outstanding
example of;

The canal trading village was a smaller trading center inthe peri-urban area on the east-west canal network of the(1) Human settlement and indigenous resources usage ofthe flood plain

lower delta. During and after agricultural reformation as aThis response to human settlement significance forresult of the Bowring Treaty, the man-made canals

natural or cultural influences in building a heritage whichdeveloped substantially and expanded towards theaims to protect and enhance places of vernacular andagricultural frontier from Bangkok to neighboring regions.

tradition. It represents geographical and environmental

New canals reached remote areas, providing off season

significance in response to human settlement andfarming possibilities. As a result, new developed land,

indigenous resource usage of the flood plain, including

particularly rice fields, became prosperous as the new

the land and river scape, applied to areas of specificbreadbasket of the Central Region, creating an easierenvironmental importance, including land subject toconnection to Bangkok and other urban areas. The trading

inundation, identifiable by land in a flood storage or flood

center settlement was located at the point where several

fringe area and liable to inundation by overland flow from

canals crossed. New water transportation and irrigation

drainage systems.

systems have helped much in achieving global(2) Cross-culture influence on local economy of thedevelopment.

river-based transportation network(7) Surface water livelihoods in the raft community.

Cross-cultural significance responds to the tangible or

The unique and still existing raft community is anintangible heritage of cultural origin with an indigenous

outstanding community of the basin. Over several

context. It has also adapted an indigenous form but retains

generations of raft people have settled here and madethe concept of space and functionality.

their living by mixing trading, agriculture, and fishery(Kritsanapan, 2012). Traditional skills relating to water
and water circulation have continually passed fromgeneration to generation. Floating farms and net cage
fishing attached to the raft house were a result of that. Yet,

(3) Interconnection of community network
The interconnection significance of the river corridor
responds to the river-based transportation network whichaims to protect the river and canals.

most of the inhabitants have adapted modern equipment

They are indispensable for understanding man'sand machinery to traditional living methods in response toadaptation and interaction with their natural environment,

market capitalization.

using the canal and river system for the historicaldevelopment of human technology related to agriculture,
trading systems and transportation. The understanding of5. Appraising Cultural Value
This section was appraising and synthesizing of

their natural environment and its efficient adaptation toheritage value of the properties, which represented thetheir way of life reflects in the architectural and built

global significance of traditional waterfront communities

heritage, in the intangible cultural heritage, which iscomplex in Cha Phraya River basin and its tributaries.

considered a genuine and outstanding model for

The study was based on the examination ofsustainable way of life. This is also explored the existence

community survey records andof traditional structures and building techniques in thedocumentation. The first was carried out through on-sitewaterfront wooden housing standard of the Chao Phraya

observation,

supportingRiver Basin and its vicinity, in order to identify theinterviews to address the current traditional building

current state and condition of traditional structures,techniques still in existence for historical structures andprocesses of change, and the effect on its overall integrity.

the reasons behind them. While documentary studies

The results indicated that patterns of traditional building

weretechniques remain in community typology.

architectural andarchitectural

implemented,survey,

andmulti-disciplinary

approaches

Table 1 summary for conservation of cultural landscapes and their features

Cluster type

Critical area

Counter measure: general outline

Paddy village

Watergate and dam

Naturalized river overflow

Orchard village

Ditches network

Zoning and rehabilitation/protection of irrigation orchard ditches

Estuarine agricultural village

Mangrove forest

Sustainable estuarine resource management

Fishing village

Wetlands area

Community based fisheries management

Riverport town

Riverbank

Reconnecting/reclaiming the waterfront

Canal trading village

Canal route

Revitalizing local economies

Raft community

Community forest

Revitalizing community forest for domestic use

6. Discussion

preferably through participatory means. Besides, it is

The result led to discussion of the possible of measureessential to encourage the preparation of tentative lists

or program to protect cultural landscape of the Chaowith the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders,

Phraya River and its associated traditional waterfront

including site managers, local and regional governments,

community complex, drawing from latest theoretical

local communities, NGOs, and other interested parties

developments in heritage studies and literature reviews,andand formulate the objects of protection relevant to cultural

mechanism in the conservation of a traditional.

partners.

However,

indescribing

alegallandscape and its settings. The principal focus of theconservation and management of waterfront communities

References

involves the attributes and features associated with or1) Panin, O.: The Central Region Thai Vernacular Houses, International

conveyed by the value of the properties. This is to ensure

Conference on Conservation and Revitalization of Vernacularthat the value, authenticity, and interiors of the properties

Architecture and ICOMOS-CIAV Annual Meeting, pp.38-58, 1998

are sustained for the future through effective management

2) Kwansuwan, P.: Adaptation and spatial resilience of amphibiousof the attributes.

settlements in the flood plain of Thailand. In V. Duong (Ed.),A brief conservation measure for cultural landscapes andTraditional Dwelling and Settlement: Working Paper Series Vol. 268,

their features was summarized in table 1. The result

pp. 43-64, 2014
3) Denpaiboon, C.: Tohiguchi, M., Matsuda, H. and Hashimoto, S.,
Typology and life style analysis of the raft house (ruan pae) in riverine

landscapesignificancetargetingspecifictypeofcommunity. Further conservation policy and implemented
prograsettlements in Thailand, Journal of Architecture Planning andEnvironmental Engineering, pp.173-180, 2000
4) Muadthong, A.: Cultural ecology concerning landscape andvernacular architecture of Klongrangjarakea Phra Nakhon Si

model could be implemented in spatial planning practice,initially on both national level, provincial, and municipallevel.

University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2005
5) Kritsanapan, O: Vernacular architecture in the dynamic context ofHowever, in describing the waterfront community

cultural landscape: The raft-house community case study, Sagae-krangRiver. 11(1). pp.1 13, 2012

Heritage Sites, Thailand government must be confident
that the property will be effectively protected andmanaged. There must be an appropriate management planor other documented management system which specifies
how the value of a property should be protected,
presented,

andtransmittedtofuture

generations,