Analysis of Urban Changes Using Multi-Temporal Satellite Data in Buriram Province, Thailand

Abstract

Land use dynamics are evident and closely linked to changes in population, economy, and society. In Southeast Asian secondary cities, rapid urbanization driven by tourism and economic diversification presents complex spatial transformations that require systematic monitoring. Buriram Province, Thailand, exemplifies this phenomenon, having transformed from an agriculture-dependent economy to a sports tourism destination, with tourism revenue reaching 4,859.91 million baht in 2021. Despite this dramatic transformation, comprehensive spatial-temporal analysis of land use changes using advanced machine learning approaches remains limited for secondary cities in developing countries, creating a critical knowledge gap for evidence-based urban planning. This study addresses this gap by leveraging the Google Earth Engine platform to collect Landsat satellite data and employs machine learning, specifically Random Forest classification, to monitor land use dynamics, urban expansion, and construction activities in Buriram Province over the years 2001, 2011, and 2021. The findings reveal notable changes in land use within Buriram Province, categorized into growth-oriented and decline-oriented transformations. Growth-oriented changes include expansion of community areas and construction sites totaling 717.76 km², water source areas increasing by 160.94 km², and miscellaneous areas expanding by 37.33 km². Decline-oriented changes comprise agricultural land decreasing by 606.33 km² and forest areas declining by 235.04 km². Over the 21 years from 2001 to 2021, urban and construction areas expanded by 717.76 km². The districts experiencing the most significant increases in urban areas include Muang Buriram District, Nang Rong District, and Prakhon Chai District, with respective increases of 90.44 km², 82.97 km², and 60.57 km². Furthermore, Chaloem Phra Kiat District, Nong Hong District, and Phlapphla Chai District exhibited the highest relative urban growth rates, with urban areas increasing by 245%, 222%, and 197% from their 2001 baseline areas, respectively, over the 21-year period.