THE MANAGEMENT OF THE THAI STATE'S FREE ECONOMY REGARDING THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONE POLICY IN CHIANG SAEN DISTRICT, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE 2013 - 2024

Abstract

This research article aims to 1) Study the formation of Thailand's special economic zone development policies during the period P. Prof. 2556 - 2567 and 2) To study the impact of policies and development options for the Chiang Saen Special Economic Development Zone in Chiang Rai Province, using a qualitative research approach. Data collection tools included document analysis and in-depth interviews with key informants, and content analysis was used. The research findings showed that 1) Policy formation is uncertain and depends on the political situation. During the National Council for Peace and Order government, special centralized power was used to aggressively push policies; however, this approach stalled and lacked continuity once the elected government took over. 2) Policy implementation over the past decade has not achieved its goals, particularly regarding land conflicts with civil society, delays in urban planning, and the uncertainty of regulations. This situation reflects the state's weakness, its lack of independence from capital groups, and its inability to gain consensus from civil society. This research presents policy options under the concept of "social market economy" based on Ordoliberalism, where the state must shift its role from supporting capital to becoming a regulator that balances economic growth and social justice. Therefore, the success of special economic zone development policies is not tied to the level of authoritarianism but rather to the state's capacity to design predictable regulations and establish legitimacy with society.