Virtual Reality for Assessing Willingness to Accept Compensation: An Exploratory Study of New Airport Noise Impact in Chiang Mai, Thailand

This exploratory study investigated virtual reality (VR) as a potentially more efficient tool for willingness to accept (WTA) compensation assessment in Thailand, as conventional contingent valuation methods (CVM) could be limited in assessing WTA for aircraft noise, which is vital, especially in the context of airport development. A comparative study (n=140) near a proposed new airport in Chiang Mai divided participants into VR and non-VR groups. Using a linear mixed model, the total WTA of the VR group was significantly higher, and the variance varied with noise intensity. Furthermore, VR’s impact on WTA interacted significantly with gender, age, and educational level. Among the main drawbacks were the efficiency of the VR device, the noise model from an actual airport, and the lack of evaluation of prior VR experience or any adverse effects related to VR. Future research should consider these elements, investigate different VR configurations, and examine more general environmental influences to create more comprehensive policies.