This study presents insights into four creative districts in Thailand: Songkhla Old Town, Chiang Mai (the city and the Wua Lai area), Charoen Krung in Bangkok and Sakon Nakhon. We hope the report will be useful to better understand the unique features of their creative ecosystems, the interlinks between hubs and neighbourhoods, and the role of creative hubs in the development of cultural and creative districts.
Key findings
- Each creative district has its own unique identity and ecology, representing different models of development. There is no universal model that will work in all contexts.
- How a place fosters creative activity is linked to its local environment, the available hard and soft infrastructures and the interactions among local people with those beyond. In short, they cannot emerge without these pre-existing conditions.
- A common thread across the four different creative districts is the interdependency between culture and creativity. A culturally vibrant place provides authentic building blocks for its redevelopment through creative activities, which in turn generate new social, cultural and economic assets.
- Creative districts bring many social, cultural and economic benefits. These include sharing and innovating local craft practices, diversifying opportunities, and attracting new and returning talent to repopulate regional cities – thereby revitalising communities and the local economy.
- The important role that individuals and organisations play in bridging and linking with other groups, networks and organisations cannot be underestimated. They extend the value and impact of a place’s soft infrastructures by bringing in new ideas, connections and access to resources that otherwise would not be accessible.
- Government policy and initiatives should equally prioritise investment into hard and soft infrastructures. It is important to nurture skills, talents and human resources for creative clusters to flourish.
- For governments and groups driving urban regeneration through the development of creative districts, it is important to mitigate negative effects. Common issues include displacement of local residents due to rising property prices, excluding local voices during development, and the resource burden from increased tourism that deteriorates the authentic creative atmosphere of a place.
- A focus on sustainable development and attention to community needs are important strategies to ensure the longevity and vibrancy of a creative community.