The document proposes a communication portal called Haak Square to facilitate inclusive urban renewal initiatives. It was presented by the Urban Design and Development Center (UddC) at the 4th Asia NGO Innovation Summit. UddC aims to drive sustainable urban renewal through deliberative platforms, research, and acting as a communication hub between citizens, government, and other groups. Haak Square is a proposed social network designed for hyper-local communities to connect neighbors, share news and information, and collaborate on neighborhood issues. It is currently being piloted in the Kadeejeen-Klongsan neighborhood to empower residents and address physical problems.

1. A Communication Portal
for the Inclusive Urban Renewal Initiatives
Niramon Kulsrisombat – Director, Urban Design and Development Center
Weerawat Ratanawaraha – Business Development Director, Haak Connection Co.,Ltd.
4th Asia NGO Innovation Summit (ANIS 2013)
10th October 2013

2. UddC: The Urban Change Agent
• Established since 2012
• Goal
Driving & forming sustainable
urban renewal outcomes
• Functions
1. Deliberative platforms
2. Think & Do tank
3. Communication portal
Citizen
Member
(Expert)
Academic
Institutes
UddC
Gov’t
Private
NGO
1/18
UddC organizational concept

3. UddC: Urban Renewal Prototypes
The Kadeejeen-Klongsan
Neighborhood
The Rachadamnoen District
Historical
Neighborhood
Historical
Neighborhood
Riverfront
District
The Old Bangkok Fish Market
2/18
Transit-Oriented
Development
The Rama 9 Interchange Station

4. The Renewal of Kadeejeen-Klongsan
Neighborhood
BKK Historic
District
Grand Palace
Flower
Market
121 cultural heritages in 2 sq.km.
3/18
KadeejeenKlongsan

5. The Renewal of Kadeejeen-Klongsan
Neighborhood
Multi-cultural heritage of 3 religions
4/18

6. The Renewal of Kadeejeen-Klongsan
Neighborhood
Multi-cultural heritage of 3 religions
5/18

7. The Renewal of Kadeejeen-Klongsan
Neighborhood
Physical decay / lack of investment
from public and private sectors /
Changing community structure
6/18

8. Deliberative design process
7/18

9. Experimentation of social innovation
Fundraising program
8/18

10. Experimentation of social innovation
Art as a tool of citizen participation
9/18

11. Experimentation of social innovation
The Award of Excellence in the 2013
Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards
for Cultural Heritage Conservation
-Technical achievement
- Outstanding social impact
10/18

12. Create an active citizen network
Traditional communication tools:
• Meetings/newsletters/community radio
• Tremendous efforts, intensive resources,
time consuming
Effective
communication
portal ?
11/18

13. Current communications tools and methods
are limited. Need innovations
21%
79%
No communication
tool
Has some kind of
communication tools
but not effective
Others 7%
Radio
16%
SMS
8% Online
36%
12/18
Newsletter
65%

14. A Neighborhood Survey
18 Millions Thai use Facebook
Each has 230 friends
Less than 1% are neighbors
Say it’s crucial to
have some kind of
geography-based
community on-line
tool
Would like to
know their
neighbors better
47%
Talk to their
neighbors less
than once a
week
Don’t know how
to contact their
neighbors
Feel safer when
they know their
neighbors
13/18

15. Haak Square
We have developed community-based, hyper-local social
network for neighborhood.
14/18

16. Benefits for Community Members and Leaders
More than 30 current online features to help community save time,
money, and headache. And many more features to come....
Share
Connect
•
•
•
•
Social Networking
Community SMS
Email Blast
Members/Unit Directory
•
•
•
•
Protect
News Feed
Local & Community News
Neighbors Invite
Community E-Newsletter
Support
Collaborate
•
•
•
•
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Fix-My-Community
Project Dashboard
Task Management
Document Center
• Community Alerts
• Community Dashboard
• Private Functions for
Leaders & Members
•
•
•
•
24/7 Technical Support
Training and Set Up
Content Management
Community Deployment

17. Deployment
Kadeejeen-Klongsan Neighborhood is using Haak Square
as a social platform to empower people to take action
on physical and local issues.
16/18

18. Work-In-Progress
A social network for the disadvantaged groups e.g.
motorcycle taxi
Problems
Limited knowledge
about basic rights
and laws that have
significant
implications for their
social and economic
livelihoods.
Network Impact
400,000 Nationwide
• 200,000 People in BKK
and Central Areas
• 200,000 People in Upcountry Areas
17/18
Needs
A content based
knowledge and
communication
platform specifically
designed for
informal sector.
A Collaborative and
Social Networking
Platform for Informal
Sectors:
• Legal Clinics
• Group-based Fund
• Social Issues

19. City innovations
Serving social goods require innovative ideas not only in
terms of products, but also processes, business models,
and institutions. And of course, a new mind-set is key.
Haak Square
Community
• Design the platform
• Develop the platform
• Enhance the platform
• Support the platform
• Own the content
• Develop the content
• Manage the content
• Sustain the content
Building an eco-system takes time but it’s worth it!
18/18

20. Get in touch with us at :
www.uddc.net
www.haaksquare.com