Network for Solving Public Disaster Problems Regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) of the District Disease Control Operations Center Working Group: A case Study of Tham Phannara District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

This research aims to study 1) the creation of a network to solve the public disaster problem of the Coronavirus 2019 disease by the Tham Phannara District Disease Control Operations Center working group, 2) the model for solving the public disaster problem of infectious Coronavirus 2019 disease by the Tham Phannara District Disease Control Operations Center working group, and 3) obstacles in solving public disaster problems regarding Coronavirus 2019 disease. This research is qualitative in nature. There were 3 groups of participants selected as a specific sample of 17 people: Group 1, the public sector (5 participants); Group 2, the private sector (7 participants); and Group 3, the people sector (5 participants). Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews and participatory observation, and the data were analyzed descriptively. The results found that 1) creating a network to solve problems involved the establishment of an official social network through various orders, regulations, or duties of the government, private, and public sectors, as well as informal networks formed through cooperation and coordination among these sectors; 2) problem-solving formats followed the cycle for solving emergency problems, which included preparation before a disaster, planning for preparedness when a disaster occurs, and rehabilitation and assistance after a disaster. This process resulted in 2 types of networks: 2.1) vertical networks, where actors are related in a chain-of-command manner from top to bottom, and 2.2) horizontal networks, where actors relate to each other in an equal and cooperative manner; and 3) problems and obstacles in solving problems included 3.1) delays in government coordination due to document-related issues in the public sector, 3.2) challenges in coordinating with the government sector, understanding the disease in its early stages, and communication among employees in the private sector, and 3.3) difficulties in accessing government agencies during the early stages of the outbreak in the people sector.