Adaptation and Communication Factors of the Mae Kha Canal Riverside Community Following the Implementation of the Mae Kha Master Plan, Chiang Mai Province 2017–2024

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the adaptation processes and communication factors of communities living along the Mae Kha Canal following the implementation of the Mae Kha Master Plan (2017–2024) in Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai Province. A qualitative research methodology was employed, incorporating documentary review, field observation, and purposive in-depth interviews with community leaders, long-term residents, local business operators, and municipal officials. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings reveal that the implementation of the Master Plan such as canal dredging, waste management, landscape improvement, and the development of pedestrian pathways resulted in significant physical changes along the Mae Kha Canal. These improvements contributed to positioning the canal as an emerging eco-cultural tourism destination in Chiang Mai. The transformation led to four major forms of community adaptation: 1) converting residential houses into commercial spaces operated by homeowners 2) renting out houses for restaurants and leisure businesses 3) increasing claims and disputes over land and housing rights and 4) revitalizing and reinterpreting cultural traditions to support tourism development. Furthermore, three levels of communication factors were found to influence the effectiveness of these changes 1) provincial-level communication that framed Mae Kha Canal as a “model area” for integrated urban development 2) municipal-level communication emphasizing public awareness of environmental and quality-of-life issues; and (3) community-level participatory communication processes, including experience-sharing, group discussions, and collective decision-making. The study concludes that the interplay between top-down transformation and bottom-up adaptation is a crucial condition for sustainable urban development and tourism, particularly in contexts that require sensitivity to community identity and local cultural preservation.