The Role of Community Organization Councils in the Development of Democratic Citizenship in Eastern Thailand

Abstract

                   This qualitative study aims to analyze the role of Community Organization Councils in fostering democratic citizenship in Eastern Thailand and to propose alternative pathways for strengthening the sustainability of citizenship development. Data were collected through document analysis, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, triangulation, and content analysis guided by a structure–agency framework grounded in dialectical principles. The findings indicate that Subdistrict Community Organization Councils play five key roles in advancing democratic citizenship: 1) serving as mechanisms for enhancing self-governance capacities in areas such as resource management, debt management, and housing; 2) supporting policy-oriented participation with local administrative organizations and state agencies; 3) promoting awareness and advancement of social justice; 4) cultivating deliberative democracy through public forums, dialogue, and collective decision-making; and 5) advancing “livable democracy” by strengthening the grassroots economy through community enterprises and community finance. The study further proposes alternative approaches for leveraging Community Organization Councils to enhance democratic citizenship, including: 1) strengthening the capacity and quality of Subdistrict Community Organization Councils; 2) positioning these councils as key mechanisms for building citizen networks; 3) expanding the scope of their mandates; and 4) promoting or upgrading the councils as spaces for creating, developing, and experimenting with grassroots democratic innovations.