Abstract:
The main objective of this study is to apply the theories and concepts of urban geography to urban settlement, urbanisation, and urban land-use expansion with Bangkok and its eastern or "Green Belt" area as a case study.The result shows that past theories and concepts of town and urbanisation can be applied to the current situation. Geographical features comprise natural and man made features, which play significant roles in the development of urban land-use, both positively and negatively, in terms of urban settlement and urbanisation and obstacles to urban land-use expansion, respectively.Since the area under study is made up of natural geographical features not suitable for the urban settlement, it has been designated as the Conservative Agricultural Land Use in the Bangkok Land-use Comprehensive Plan, strictly prohibiting any building constructions. However, the rapid growth of economics and population has resulted in the urhanisation and urban sprawl in the agricultural areas.Man-made geographical features together with a large number of plans and policies relating to the development of land-use also emerge in order to accommodate such growth. Therefore, it is necessary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to designate appropriate land-use plans and policies in order to serve the future development in the areas.