Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the roles of public spaces in promoting community relations and sense of place in a coastal community, which are both important elements of sustainable community development. This study investigated how activities in public spaces can foster community relations, thereby affecting sense of place, and described how public spaces are used by local residents. Design/methodology/approach The Ban-Chaytalae community in the coastal area of Samutsakorn province, Thailand, was selected as a case study. This community has plentiful wetland resources, which provide various benefits for local people, and several areas in the community are used as public spaces for various activities, such as social interactions, recreation, sports, learning activities and cultural and traditional practices. In-depth interviews with residents in the community were conducted, and a questionnaire was administered in the Ban-Chaytalae community during August-December 2017. Findings The results of content analysis revealed that several places in the community are utilised as public spaces, including shrines, commercial shops, transportation routes, the coast and spaces between homes. Moreover, the results of path analysis revealed that engaging in cultural, traditional, community development and socialising activities had direct effects on residents’ sense of place and indirect effects on sense of place through community relations. Research limitations/implications The study findings implied that land development policy should avoid the deterioration of public places, and furthermore, public spaces should be developed to facilitate activities that can strengthen the active roles of citizens in sustainable community development. Originality/value This study provided empirical evidence on the role of public activities and spaces in promoting community relations and sense of place. The study results imply that the quality and quantity of public spaces where cultural, socialising and community development activities are performed should be conserved. Any development that might change these public spaces has the potential to affect people’s ways of living, which, in turn, influences social relationships and sense of place.

中文翻译：

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关于公共空间和公共活动在促进社区关系和在沿海社区中的地位感的作用的经验证据

目的这项研究的目的是证明公共空间在促进社区关系中的作用和在沿海社区中的位置感，这都是社区可持续发展的重要要素。这项研究调查了公共场所的活动如何促进社区关系，从而影响了地方感，并描述了当地居民如何使用公共场所。设计/方法/方法选择了泰国Samutsakorn省沿海地区的Ban-Chaytalae社区作为案例研究。该社区拥有丰富的湿地资源，可为当地人民带来各种好处，并且该社区中的多个区域被用作各种活动的公共场所，例如社交互动，娱乐，运动，学习活动以及文化和传统习俗。对该社区的居民进行了深入采访，并于2017年8月至12月在Ban-Chaytalae社区进行了问卷调查。内容分析的结果显示，该社区中有几个地方被用作公共场所，包括神社，商业商店，运输路线，海岸和房屋之间的空间。此外，路径分析的结果表明，参与文化，传统，社区发展和社会化活动对居民的位置感有直接影响，而通过社区关系对地方感也有间接影响。研究的局限性/意义研究结果表明，土地开发政策应避免公共场所的恶化，此外，应开发公共场所，以促进可增强公民在社区可持续发展中的积极作用的活动。原创性/价值这项研究提供了关于公共活动和空间在促进社区关系和场所感方面的作用的经验证据。研究结果表明，应当保留进行文化，社会化和社区发展活动的公共场所的质量和数量。任何可能改变这些公共空间的发展都有可能影响人们的生活方式，进而影响社会关系和位置感。原创性/价值这项研究提供了关于公共活动和空间在促进社区关系和场所感方面的作用的经验证据。研究结果表明，应当保留进行文化，社会化和社区发展活动的公共场所的质量和数量。任何可能改变这些公共空间的发展都有可能影响人们的生活方式，进而影响社会关系和位置感。原创性/价值这项研究提供了关于公共活动和空间在促进社区关系和场所感方面的作用的经验证据。研究结果表明，应当保留进行文化，社会化和社区发展活动的公共场所的质量和数量。任何可能改变这些公共空间的发展都有可能影响人们的生活方式，进而影响社会关系和地方感。