Bangkok registers in the top rank of high heat index values in Thailand, challenging the local population’s health through the ‘Urban Heat Island’ effect. Alarmingly, data simulations for the next 30 years show that average temperatures will increase by approximately 2°C. Even though Bangkok is aware of the extreme heat hazard and Urban Heat Island effect (where the overheating of urban areas are notably higher than the surrounding areas) there is still no pilot site to address this issue seriously.
The ThaiCI fund implemented by GIZ and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) has awarded a project ‘Heat Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity: A Framework for Community Risk Reduction from Extreme Heat’ or ‘Heat Ready Thailand’ from the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University. This aims to enhance the adaptative capacity to urban heat hazards at a pilot site in the Phasi Charoen community. It is being implemented from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2027.
The Heat Ready Thailand project, led by Associate Professor Manut Srivanit, Assistant Dean, Office of Research and Knowledge Management, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, plans three approaches for local solutions to enhance the climate change adaptive capacity of the Phasi Charoen community as below.
1. Developing an action-based learning process at Wat Pradu Bangchak (Puang Uthit) School as a community hub for educational activities, global warming simulations in a ‘Hot House’, and surveying temperatures in school with thermal cameras used to visualise the heat levels of different materials.
2. Establishing a community model area at the Ratchamontri Ruamjai community through workshops to co-develop ‘Community Heat Risk Maps’ identifying ‘hot spots’ and ‘cooling spots’, which includes using heat index monitoring equipment and educating residents on green space benefits to encourage local rest area development.
3. Advancing manual development and knowledge sharing by creating a centralised online platform, producing learning media kits, and developing comprehensive manuals on urban heat impacts and mitigation strategies for schools and communities.
The project’s activities not only establish a community prototype for problem-solving and enhance local adaptation to urban heat through site-specific tools but also foster awareness among students and residents regarding heat hazards, risk factors, and health impacts. Furthermore, the community is empowered to understand and respond to extreme heat proactively, ultimately building long-term resilience against the intensifying urban heat crisis.
For more inspiring stories from the ‘Heat Ready Thailand’ project, visit Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HeatReadyThailand
ThaiCI is a part of the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility, and Climate (TGC EMC) project, financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), with the implementation period from December 2022 to December 2027. The primary goal of ThaiCI is to establish a climate-specific funding mechanism (ThaiCI Fund) under the Environment Fund, providing financial support for climate change projects through a call-for-proposal process. Additionally, ThaiCI aims to enhance stakeholder capacity in developing and managing climate change projects, ensuring more effective and sustainable climate action.
