A Study of Land Cover Changes in the Phaya Kham irrigation area, Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces
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Abstract
This study investigates land cover change within the irrigated area of the Phaya Kham Muang Fai system in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, between 1996 and 2026. The objective is to examine landscape dynamics and their implications for ecological structure in the context of urban expansion. A supervised land cover classification approach was applied using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), based on satellite imagery from two time periods. A land use change matrix was constructed to assess both persistent areas and transitional land cover changes.
The results indicate a significant decline in wetland areas, with 8,399.51 rai converted to agricultural land and 3,928.13 rai transformed into urban and built-up areas. Additionally, 6,506.90 rai of agricultural land were converted to urban use. Although the net agricultural area appears relatively stable, only 39% of the original agricultural land remained unchanged over the 30-year period, reflecting a structural turnover exceeding 60%.
These findings reveal a transition from a permeable landscape with high water retention capacity to an increasingly impervious urban landscape. Such changes have significant implications for hydrological regulation, ecological resilience, and the functional role of the Muang Fai irrigation system as blue-green infrastructure within the urban environment. The study highlights the need for integrated land and water management policies that incorporate ecological and landscape perspectives alongside conventional engineering-based flood control measures to enhance long-term urban resilience.
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