Small-scale modes of transport and micro-nodes feature in a new public transport system in Bangkok that can contribute towards solving the growing problem of mobility in the metropolis.

In Bangkok 37.68% of carbon dioxide emission is caused by traffic, 95% of which are private vehicles (Traffic and Transport Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration office, 2007). The cause of this problem is the fact that public transport in Bangkok is a failure. Rapid growth and urbanization are weakening Bangkok's urban structure. Add to that a hot and humid climate, so that walking a few hundred yards from a public transport stop to one's destination is an ordeal in itself.

Extreme traffic congestion in Bangkok, a city of some ten million inhabitants, is a problem that central government has been wrestling with for a long time. It is a problem that manifests itself on many fronts including climate change, psychological problems, inefficient production and physical health issues (Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change, 2009).

The authorities have tried hard to solve the traffic problems using infrastructure and urban design measures but these have had no effect. Countless projects including ring roads, motorways, tunnels and an underground rail system are now in place yet the number of private vehicles is rising yearly. Other urban design measures include bicycle lanes, bus lanes and Park & Ride facilities and there have been some experiments with the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). What we see is that solutions from developed Western countries are being parachuted into the context of Bangkok, but this copy and paste method is not proving effective. The issue is more complex than it seems and relates to intricate urban questions such as:

1. Bangkok as primary city of Thailand
   Infrastructure, accommodation, other functions and the economy are developing most strongly in Bangkok. The result is a capital city that dominates the entire country, half of the Thai Gross Domestic Product being created in Bangkok (CIA, World Fact Book, 2009). So it is no surprise that the number of immigrants and the hidden population is in the process of rising to 40% (Achawanichkul, 2005).
2. A rapid urbanization is one of the causes of a cluttered urban structure. Organic urbanization is reflected in the 'space syntax map' which reveals streets that have been poorly integrated. Many of these streets have yet to be connected to the public transport network, unlike streets and roads that are more favourably placed.
3. The local climate is hot and humid all year long, with the maximum of 35 degrees Celsius reached on 120 days of the year (Bangkok Assessment Report on Climate Change, 2009). On top of that you have the Urban Heat Island effect (UHI) of a large city like Bangkok. All of this makes travel by bike or on foot virtually impossible.

With an eye to economic, political, spatial and social feasibility, it is more practicable for Bangkok to target possibilities rather than desires. Metropolitan Informal Mobility charts the opportunities for an urban planning that includes motorcycle taxis and micro-nodes. The concept steps off from three key urban themes, Metropolis, Informality and Mobility. These three themes are tackled with a design-based approach. This steps off from a city profile and an analysis of urban needs, a choice of transport modes, design guidelines for micro-nodes, pilot scenarios, and suggestions for inserting the nodes into the urban context.

The motorcycle taxi is an alternative form of transport used in Bangkok for short distances. Organized informally, it is quick, cheap, flexible and, with over 6000 micro-nodes in the city, ultra-accessible. This model (an example of an informal bottom-up solution) has been redesigned and deployed as a way of once more giving direction to the future of Bangkok. The designs are flexible enough to respond to the market-driven urban development and to the city's needs.

Place of education: TU Delft | Specialization: urban design | Tutors: Diana Garcia, Frank van der Hoeven, Machiel van Dorst