Thailand’s Bang Saen seaside town, on the eastern coast near Bangkok, will undergo a major make-over to accommodate an aging society in the future.

Mr. Narongchai Khunpluem, the mayor of Saensook or Bang Saen municipality, which is well known for its roast sweet Khao Lam glutinous rice in bamboo stalks, said that the traditional beach town has the potential to be developed into a community for elderly people, adding that the municipality has sought cooperation from Japan’s Okura Company, which has expertise and experience in the development of communities for the elderly.

On infrastructure development, he said that the municipality has also worked with Siam Cement Group to develop a major landscaping plan for Bang Saen, which will include reclamation of the Wonnapa beach by extending it by about 30 metres into the sea along its 700-metre length. This will cost an estimated 600 million baht.

Under the conceptual design, the town will be divided into four zones, namely a residential zone, a commercial and services zone open around the clock, a green zone and a zone for family activities.

The fish market on Wonnapa beach will be developed into a seafood market and the landscape in front of Burapha University will be revamped to improve traffic flow.

A condominium for elderly people, planned on Khao Lam Road, is expected to open late next year.

Mr. Narongchai said that the funding for all the development projects will come from municipal revenues, estimated at about 300 million baht a year.

Bang Saen municipality has a registered population of some 47,000 and another 30,000 plus who are not registered. Its main source of income is from the estimated two million tourists who visit the town each year.

Mr. Narongchai said he expected that the new project to increase the annual revenues for Bang Saen by about 20%.