Beyond Entertainment: Music and Health Care in Urban Parks

Abstract

This study is a recent review of the use of music for healthcare in urban parks in five districts of Bangkok, Thailand. It was found that music played a central role in many activities supportive of physical and mental health. This paper will discuss the role of music in supporting the health of Bangkok’s residents through its use in a variety of public park programs. Some examples are group aerobics, yoga and various genres of dance. The research found that although these activities are well attended and beneficial to health, there is a lack of unified, supportive policies for them. Interviews were conducted on three levels: facility managers and coordinators, group instructors, and participants who uniformly expressed the importance of the role of government for these programs’ sustainability and growth.