Unique Land Use Pattern and Travel Behavior on Waterborne Transport

Before the emergence of paved road and highways, waterways and waterborne transport once were the heart of transportation that provided mobility and flexibility for Thais. Cities relied on waterways for commerce, socio-economic opportunity, and leisure until the advent of motorway development. Many canals were covered over and turned into streets, while cities were converted to inland development, resulting in the decline of the role of waterways. However, at present, there are four waterways that are making a comeback due to the ever-congested traffic on roads. Currently, water transit accounts for only three percent of transport modes (Trip Generation Model, 2011), but the key waterways provide direct and efficient travel to central Bangkok. Although it is an escape from inland-traffic, waterborne transport itself has various limitations on catchment area that requires different travel behavior.