Creating an Urban Green Space Database in Hat Yai Municipality, Thailand

Hat Yai Municipality is an urbanized city in the south of Thailand that is pursuing the goal of increasing the proportion of green space. However, it is limited by insufficient data on green space in Hat Yai. This is in part due to unclear definitions of green spaces in Thai spatial planning policy. This research aims to identify, classify, and compile a comprehensive database of urban green space in Hat Yai to support sustainable development objectives and to assess the usefulness of the Thai Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) framework for doing so. Using aerial photo interpretation and field surveys to create accurate geospatial data of public green spaces in Hat Yai, 4.16 square kilometers of green space was identified, constituting 19.81% of the total area of the municipality. The findings are classified into six types of green spaces based on functionality. This data can be used as a baseline for future green space strategy.