A Study on Gaming Simulation as a Key of Meta-Frame of Planning for Neighborhood Immigrant Integration and Co-existing Diversity

We are living in an era of diversity. Globalization has made it easier for people to move not just across the border but rather across the world, thus there are many ongoing issues with social cohesion and immigrant integration in urban neighborhoods. Immigrant integration as suggested by the IOM (International organisation for Migration) is a two-way process, which includes both the immigrant and the host society. Research has pointed out that the promotion of diversity in local neighborhoods is one of the integral solutions for immigrant integration. However, past evidence suggests that Thai people have a terribly limited understanding of the notion of diversity, and many of them still have prejudice in regard to migrant workers. The objectives of this research are (1) To evaluate the residents’ perception of understanding and acceptance toward the concept of immigrant integration and neighborhood co-existing diversity (2) To find out the effect of a gaming simulation on the resident and the immigrant. We introduce the Diverse Arrival Game as a game to promote diversity and immigrant integration. We implemented the gaming simulation along with pre-test and post-test questionnaires in a diverse neighborhood in Chiang Mai. The results show that the game improved perceptions in both groups toward neighborhood diversity. The game has the ability to promote mutual understanding among the local stakeholders and prompt the acceptance of the diversity concept that stimulates a powerful dialogue and ultimately leads to a new local initiative for diverse neighborhood planning.