An Evaluation of Travel Mode Choice and Travel Patterns: A Case Study in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand

In Thailand, the majority of citizens primarily rely on private automobiles, as opposed to other environmentally friendly modes of transportation. This heavy reliance on driving has led to increased travel congestion and air pollution, therefore, it is crucial to adopt a comprehensive perspective on sustainability and mobility issues within the urban transport sector. This study selects the suburban area of Pathum Thani province as a case study to explore travel patterns. The rapid expansion of the community in this study area, driven by the development of mass transit, has led to significant growth in the surrounding region. Unfortunately, this expansion has occurred without comprehensive planning or a holistic view, negatively impacting the quality of life and livelihood of the people. This problem extends to the lack of a well-integrated multi-modal transportation system. This paper aims to compare travel patterns among various transportation modes, with a specific focus on the suburban area by conducting a questionnaire survey with 1,998 respondents residing in the study area. Integrated trip distribution, trip attraction, and physical building characteristics were utilized for spatial analysis to visualize and identify relationships among all associated factors. The results highlight obstacles on the path toward sustainable mobility while a significant level of auto-dependency persists, irrespective of the available transportation options. Ultimately, the analysis results contribute to the formulation of policy measures which aim to reconstruct the urban and mobility planning framework effectively, design appropriate policies, and create suitable mobility services to enhance the urban transportation system for sustainable urban mobility.