Organization Network and Municipal Government Performance in Thailand

Abstract

Thai Municipal Government have methods to form relationship networks with various sectors which are linked to the management of local activities in order to increase the efficiency of local administration. These networks consist of: 1) Mayors build relationships with other mayors through professional association (Municipal League of Thailand) in order to exchange information and experience regarding local issues. Mayors utilize this type of network to gather ideas, solve local problems and to increase negotiation power with the central government. These networks strengthen local capabilities and leadership skills among local executives and municipalities as a whole. 2) Networks among municipalities and local community leaders is one of several important mechanisms to increase municipal government performance. This type of relationships increase citizen. participation. It also offers municipal governments a way to share burdens as a result of decentralization. 3) The objective of network building between municipal governments and local community organizations to build cooperation in order to solve local problems. This network helps local community organizations to carry out their activities by gathering support from municipal government. This type of networks strengthen social capital at the local level. 4) Networks between municipal governments and Non Governmental Organizations help drawing specialization from those organizations to solve local problems. This type of network draws capacities in order to handle local problems that may arise in the future. 5) Networks between municipal governments and the private sector allow municipal governments to get financial support and funding for local activities. This type of network increases municipal government.s financial capacity. 6) Networks between municipal governments and politicians or political parties at the national level also strengthen municipal financial capacity in order to draw funding from national government. 7) Networks between municipal government and other government agencies are necessary to gain specialized knowledge in order to carry out local projects. This type of network may lead to the possibility for municipal government to draw more funding for the benefit of local communities. 8) Networks between municipal government and other forms of local government allow municipal government to share burden and to draw cooperation among them to solve local problems. This type of relationships also reduces potential limits in terms of local personnel, local capacities and local finance.