Integrating Bangkok’s Western Canals for Micro-Mobility and Last-Mile Connectivity: A Spatial Analysis of Man-Powered Paddle-Boat Movement
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Abstract
This study presents an intentionally extreme analytical scenario to expose gaps in urban mobility planning by evaluating the potential of Bangkok’s western canal system to function as vernacular micro-mobility infrastructure for last-mile connectivity. The research provides the first empirical survey of canal-based mobility conducted using self-owned, man-powered paddle boats operated by local residents, generating primary data on everyday waterborne movement. Using geotagged field surveys and GIS-based spatial analysis, the study maps boat activity, access landings, navigability constraints, and connectivity to public transport. The results reveal concentrated corridors of active vernacular mobility alongside extensive segments constrained by sedimentation, fragmented hydrology, and inadequate access infrastructure. These patterns expose persistent spatial inequalities and weak integration between canal routes and the urban transport network. The findings position paddle-boat use as a form of vernacular micro-mobility with latent potential for low-carbon last-mile connectivity in peri-urban Bangkok, while underscoring that effective integration depends less on distance feasibility than on access-landing standards, hydrological management, and coordinated multimodal governance.
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