Abstract:
Songkhla urban aria generally plays an important role in Changwat Songkhla and the South. According to the 4th. National Economic and Social Development Plan which has chosen Songkhla as one of the Growth Poles of the South. Thus, many projects have to be conducted for supporting this policy and would be directly and indirectly effected to Songkhla urban area. The objective of this Thesis is to study the impact of economic and social change on Songkhla urban area cause by the above developing projects. This study would also consider the important role of Songkhla urban area at the regional level; analyzing the present socio-economic characteristic and land use of Songkhla urban area. The prospected tends and the recommendation on the, urban expansion are also pointed out in this thesis. The conclusion of this study has been summarized as follow : The important role of Songkhla urban area on the socio-economic of Changwat Songkhla and the South is not only the governmental adminis¬tration center; education center and the port city, but also the geographical scenery; the ancient and historical places of the city are beautiful and attractive to the, tourists. During the past 12 years, the increasing rate of population has been on the top of Changwat Songkhla which the birth rate is more than the migration. Besides all those factors mentioned above, the public health service of the urban area is also on the standard. The main occupation of the people is governmental official. The existing land use is clustered densely along Songkhla lake. Most of the area are occupied by the residential area which has been changed mostly. The developing projects in the future will be effected to Songkhla urban area in the increasing of working people; the expansion of industry, trade and services and the residential area would be rapidly expanded. The tendency of city expansion in the future would be more along Songkhla - Hat-Yai road because of the better advantage. Nevertheless, for the protection of urban physical problems in the future, the proper land use control has to be recommended.