Space as a Place for Social Interaction: A Case Study of Tai-Lao Communities
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Abstract
Regarding the social aspects of sustainable community design, the consideration of public space
should aim to support collaboration and social cohesion. As the Tai-Lao ethnic group in central Thailand have
been able to maintain their cultural identity and strong neighbourhood relationships, a lesson can be learned
from traditional communities about the adaptability of public space concerning social activities. This study
investigates the interrelationships between physical space and social interaction within Tai-Lao communities in
the central regions of Thailand and Luang Prabang, Laos, using qualitative field research. Adaptation to the
dominant culture and local development have brought changes to the physical features and utilization of
space, as well as changes in terms of its roles, values, and meanings which respond to different forms and
levels of social activity. Among a number of factors, social interaction is closely interconnected with the physical
settings of space, though the psychological meaning often plays a more important role. The interpretation of
adaptability in the physical structure of “Laan Klang Baan”, a public area within Lao Krang villages that still
maintains its meaning and spirit as a shared place, can be reconciled to maintain values of social contact and
to improve communal social cohesion by emphasizing a notion of place that represents psychological meaning
and belief.
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