Slum relocation projects in Bangkok: what has contributed to their success or failure?

Abstract

Many slum relocation projects have been implemented in Bangkok during the last three decades. Studies conducted on some of these projects have focused on the impacts of resettlement on slum dwellers, while a few have focused on the process of slum relocation. This paper presents the findings of an empirical study on factors that influence the post-relocation performance of such projects. The study reveals that there are a number of pre-requisites for achieving success. These include factors external to the community such as the location of the new settlement and award of compensation and factors internal to the community such as unity, availability of strong leadership, active participation and positive attitude of community members. The study finds that slum relocation projects require specialized activities in the consolidation stage, in order to sustain the momentum generated at the eviction and transition stage of the projects.