Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Networks Phase I: City Selection in Thailand
City selection and rationale
The results of city assessment, based on surveys, interviews and questionnaires, were used to determine city selection. Through a scored ranking approach, using established indicators and criteria (see Annex a), and in consultation with the advisory group and the Rockefeller Foundation, the selection was made.
Scores were given under the 4 main categories of criteria;
- Good governance
- Efforts of municipalities in environmental management, protection and conservation
- Level of awareness on climate and climate impact, mitigation and preparedness, shown by municipality
- Political stability and level of interest and commitment expressed by municipality to participate in long-term projects
The total scores were then ranked and Chiang Rai showed the highest score, while Samut Sakorn produced the lowest. Hat Yai ranked second, Udon Thani and Phuket ranked third and forth, respectively. Therefore Chiang Rai and Hat Yai were selected to participate in the ACCCRN programme as the core cities.
Scores and ranking of 5 cities, based on 4 main categories of selection criteria, see Annex a for details of criteria and results
| Criteria / Municipality | Udon Thani | Chiang Rai | Phuket | Hat Yai | Samut Sakorn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Good governance | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2) Efforts in environmental management | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 3) Climate change impact mitigation and preparedness | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 4) Political stability and level of commitment/interest | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Total score | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 11 |
(Download : Summary of the study results)
Tourism is one of the main economies of both Chiang Rai and Hat Yai, generating substantial income provincially. Chiang Rai is likely to experience rapid development and economic growth, as the ‘Quadrangle Economic Zone’ encompassing China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand is shaping up its concept. With increasing cooperation and trade promotion from the Yunnan Provincial Chamber of Commerce of China, while Thailand progressively supports Chiang Rai as a gateway to its neighbouring countries, through increasingly improved infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, trade, investment and development within the Greater Mekong Subregion are rapidly taking place (Tsuneishi 2009).
Hat Yai is a centre of business, commerce and transportation and has a critical function of interconnecting border-trading points, while at the provincial level, Songkhla is recognised as one of the important strategic areas for economic and social development, as well as for the national security of southern Thailand. In addition, the concept of Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) is also shaping up, aiming at private sector-led economic growth and regional development in corporation with each government. Thus Hat Yai is likely to experience increased promotion of border trades and tourism (Makishima 2002).
Furthermore, both Chiang Rai and Hat Yai heavily rely on the agriculture sector. The majority of income in Songkhla is generated from rubber, rubber wood, palm oil and fisheries industries. Rice, maize, longan and lychee are some of the main agricultural products of Chiang Rai. Although climate variability affects all economic sectors, agriculture and forestry are two of the most vulnerable and sensitive to such climate fluctuations. The quantity and quality of these crop productions are likely to be adversely affected by changing climate and climate-related extremes. Thus there is a need to develop locally new and better agrometeorological adaptation strategies to increasing climate variability, especially in vulnerable areas, where food production is most sensitive to climatic fluctuations.
Both Chiang Rai and Hat Yai offer different city contexts and opportunities to explore for the development of climate resilience strategies and adaptation measures. While Chiang Rai is a small city, with strong rural linkages, Hat Yai is a larger city and more urbanised. It will be highly beneficial for Chiang Rai and Hat Yai to participate in the ACCCRN programme, not only to access tools for the development of climate resilience strategies, but also to integrate in replicable methodology applicable for other cities that face similar climate risks. This will be critical for building climate resilience and adaptation measures in Thai contexts particularly for many Thai cities with tourism and agricultural based economies. More importantly, the municipalities of Chiang Rai and Hat Yai have expressed strong positive interest and level of commitment for the project participation.
