Spatial Expansion of Urban Land Use in the Eastern Economic Corridor Area: Case Study in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, Thailand

This study examines the spatial expansion of urban land use in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, a strategic area within Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Land use and land cover (LULC) changes for the years 2016, 2019, and 2023 were analysed using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A supervised classification method was applied to categorize land use into five types: urban and built-up areas, agricultural areas, forest areas, water bodies, and miscellaneous areas. The classification yielded high accuracy, with Kappa coefficients exceeding 0.80. The results revealed a significant and continuous increase in urban and built-up areas, expanding from 161.48 km² (26.53%) in 2016 to 190.01 km² (31.11%) in 2023, primarily at the expense of agricultural and forested lands. Urban expansion followed two dominant patterns: linear development along major transportation routes—such as Sukhumvit Road and Motorway No. 7—and clustered growth around key centres, including Si Racha Municipality, the Thai Oil industrial complex, Laem Chabang Industrial Estate and Port, and the Sahaphat Group Industrial Park. To predict future urban development, the Cellular Automata–Markov (CA–Markov) model was applied. The model projected a 39.81% increase in urban areas by 2027, accompanied by a notable decline in forest and agricultural zones. The anticipated growth is expected to radiate outward from existing developed areas and along major infrastructure networks. These findings provide valuable insights for urban planning and policy formulation within the EEC, supporting efforts to balance urban growth with the sustainable conservation of natural and agricultural resources.