DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THAI BUREAUCRATIC POLITY

Abstract

The local governance of Thailand began in 1897 by establishing the Local Sanitation Administration and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. At an early stage of development in local governance, the authority for making decisions and determining policy came from the central power. After the promulgation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand in 1997, the concept of local self-government has been widely recognized and enabled further improvement in local governance For example, in 2003, there were amendments to the law that established the Local Administration Organization. The amendments also granted the right to directly elect local officials to the people.Subsequently, the power to give orders and make decisions in local governance has been firmly realized. In 2011, there were political campaigns for more decentralization. There were diverse proposals related to the concept of provincial self-management, including the direct election of the provincial governor and the drafting of the Chiang Mai Metropolitan Government Administration Act. When there was political unrest in 2014, the Royal Thai Military staged a coup and took control of the country.The military government made more efforts to uphold the power of the regional government by stipulating guidelines for their agencies and bureaucrats to control and intervene in local governance. Furthermore, all levels of local government elections have been banned since the military governed the country. This article therefore aims to examine the development of local governance under Thai bureaucratic politics and depict the future of decentralization in Thailand. According to this study, in a political situation where the country is governed by a civilian government, this would increase the possibilities for political and social movements to promote better local governance, including a brighter prospect for the proposed Provincial Self-Management Bill.