PROMOTING FACTORS OF SKYWALK IN RATCHAPRASONG COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

Abstract

The Ratchaprasong Commercial District is a major cluster of retail establishments, offices, hotels, and internationally recognized convention facilities located in the heart of Bangkok. The area is surrounded by four mass transit systems: 1) the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), 2) the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT), 3) the Airport Rail Link (ARL), and 4) the Orange Line. Within this context, the Ratchaprasong Bangkok Downtown Model was initiated as a joint venture among five major private-sector developers. The project aims to enhance Ratchaprasong as a key economic and lifestyle district for both domestic and international visitors, a strategic hub for MICE travelers, and a central retail destination comprising five major shopping complexes with over 700,000 square meters of retail space. The district also features more than 3,900 hotel rooms ranging from three-star to luxury categories, generating an estimated monthly economic value of over 7 billion baht. Internal and external pedestrian movement is supported by the elevated Ratchaprasong Walk, a walkway (known as the “skywalk”) extending more than 1,000 meters and valued at over 700 million baht. This study has three main objectives: 1) to survey and analyze the characteristics and behaviors of users of the elevated walkway in the Ratchaprasong Commercial District; 2) to examine factors that encourage the use of the elevated walkway; and 3) to propose guidelines for its future development. Data were collected through randomized daily surveys of 420 pedestrians within the study area. The findings reveal four statistically significant factors influencing walkway usage: 1) age, 2) income level, 3) travel frequency to the district, and 4) purpose of visit. Two factors showed no significant influence: gender and spending value on goods and services. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of pedestrian behavior in high-density commercial districts and provide evidence-based recommendations for improving elevated walkways in transit-oriented urban environments.