Reform Strategies for Good Governance in Thai Local Government

Abstract

This research aimed to study good governance of Thai local governments in aspect of problems and trends, constraints and efficiency of auditing system, affecting factors, including impacts and strategy resolution on the lack of good governance. Research approach was convergent parallel mixed method. The 25 key informants for interview were selected by purposive sampling from executives and academic scholars on good governance in Thai local governments. In quantitative study, population were local officials and residents in three areas of prototype of local governments for anti-corruption certified by Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, i.e., chachoengsao provincial administration organization, Pakkret municipality, and Nongki subdistrict administration organization. Results from both qualitative and quantitative studies were analyzed comparatively through side-by-side approach. The research found that lack of good governance would affect trust of people, achievement of investment projects, local socio-economic development, and implementing mechanisms of local governments. The major problems of good governance encompassed with procurement, personnel selection, budget disbursement, cash short account, and collection of taxes and fees. The critical impediments for good governance scrutiny comprised deficiency of anti-corruption control mechanisms, lack of good internal audit, and unstandardized capability of local editors. The factors influencing local good governance consisted of access to power, credence logic, politicians’ behavior, disposition of implementers, and citizen traits. Solutions for correcting the lack of good governance embraced harsh enforcement of administrative measures, development of ethic of executives and people, strict enforcement of laws, establishment of national strategy on good governance, campaign for protecting the good, and inclusion of good governance in all education programs.