Local Governance Reform : Decentralization with Merger

Abstract

After cancelling the constitution B.E. 2550, National Council for Peace and Order
(NCPO) of Kingdom of Thailand has press the country reform in all aspects that hinder the
development of the country. In local governance, by decentralization, it is aimed for the
local to govern itself by means of democratic for all including the smallest local units; Sub
district Administrative Organization (SAO). With the new perspective that current local
administration has showed its flaws in many aspects; malpractice, corruption in local
politics which affect the Public Security, the government has thus the notion in merging
the SAOs by adding together each smallest administrative organizations with small number
of population into a new concept of new administrative organization for more effective
and effcient administration. Thereafter, appeared the questions of why this kind of
organizations merging require, would this be reducing the decentralization from the main
government, and if this merging would beneft anything to the government and the citizen.
The literature study from the legislation of the merger showed that the low level
administrative organizations merging, by abolishing the organizations and SAOs then merged
with similar administrative organizations nearby and setting up each as Municipality
Administration with the same standard, is not at all affecting the decentralization concept
of the government. Study of the National Reform Steering Assembly in local administration
has been proposed as the solution to current local administration challenges by supporting
the concept of local reform through SAOs merger with its expectation in effective and
rewarding resources management, for citizens to be benefted from public service from
the government, evenly, fairly and impartial. There is however yet none of the opposing
voices regarding the SAOs merger from the country owners, its citizens, according to
democratic practice that the nation’s people possess the right to rule the administration
and able to participate in its ruling in fairness. Thus, it is recommended, considering that
this issue has direct relation to the citizens, to initiate the local administration reform
through SAOs merger, the people should be educated of its concept of the merger and
process with the referendum according to Law dictated. This could be counted as
proceeding to legislation as well.