Heritage-led gentrification in Southeast Asian historic cities: A comparative analysis of Chiang Mai Old City and Hue Citadel

Heritage-led gentrification in Southeast Asian historic cities follows distinct trajectories shaped by governance regimes, revealing a paradox where preservation often erodes everyday cultural practices. A comparative analysis of Chiang Mai Old City and Hue Citadel demonstrates that market-driven tourism economies in Chiang Mai lead to incremental commercial conversion and cultural displacement, while state-led conservation policies in Hue result in large-scale relocation to create monumental landscapes. Despite these differences, both cases show how governance regimes influence heritage transformation beyond classical gentrification models. The study proposes a typology distinguishing between market-mediated living-heritage gentrification and state-led monumental-heritage gentrification, contributing to debates on Global South urbanism.

Raksawin, K., & Suthasupa, S. (2026). Heritage-led gentrification in Southeast Asian historic cities: A comparative analysis of Chiang Mai Old City and Hue Citadel. Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Studies. https://doi.org/10.69598/hasss.26.3.280306