Abstract:
This spatial and quantitative research is concerned with a study of the location, distribution, size and classification of public parks; the local people's behaviors and demands for public parks; the local people's attitudes toward the present public park facilities in comparison with their actual demand; their preference for park types; and the application of the geographic information system ( to public park land suitability.The methodologies of the study are as follows. First, the data on the park use and service, and types of park preferred were collected using evaluation forms and questionnaires, whereby percentage was analyzed. Then, hypothesis testing was done with the use of t-test and F-test. Finally, the number of population and their demands for parks were projected for the next 10 years. Suitable areas for park development were identified using a 10-year projection onthe number of the population and park demands and geographic information system (GIS).The results of the study show that the ratio of the park areas to the population is 0.40 rai/1,000 persons, lower than the general standard. The parks in the Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality are mostly of neighbourhood park type in random distribution. It is found that the neighbourhood type of park is mostly demanded.For long-term planning, Nakhon Si Thamniarat Municipality should have the public park areas of about 209.84 rai in the next 10 years (2010 AD.). This means that its public park areas has to be increased 167.69 rai by 2010. Moreover, the geographic information system analysis shows that the areas of land of high, moderate and low suitability for public parks are 687.5 rai (1.10 km 5,181.25 rai (8.29 km and 6,281.25 rai (10.05 km respectively.