DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WASTE MANAGEMENT NETWORK IN SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) Develop waste management through community participation in Songkhla Province and 2) Strengthen the network for environmentally friendly community waste management in Songkhla Province. The qualitative and action-oriented research involved in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and workshops. The purposive sampling included 25 key informants, including executives, academics, experts, representatives from the private sector, community leaders, and local residents. The target group for the action-oriented component included community leaders, community committee members, residents, and stakeholders from 27 communities in Songkhla Province, totaling 30 people, and 8 experts for specialized focus group discussions, for a total of 63 participants. The tools used included an interview and focus group discussion guides, a set of activities and processes for environmentally friendly waste management, an activity evaluation form, and an observation evaluation form. Data were analyzed using analytic induction, focusing on the knowledge, processes, and outcomes of the implementation. The research findings revealed that 1) The development of waste management through community participation in the public sector utilized the “Clean Province” plan, emphasizing the 3Rs principle to optimize resource use, implemented along with the establishment of the first pilot community waste bank fund, and the 7Rs principle, which expanded from the 3Rs to deepen waste management practices, and 2) The strengthening of the network for environmentally friendly community waste management in Sadao Municipality included three networks: the public sector network for policy development and guidelines for waste management, the private sector network for supporting waste management administration, and the community network for monitoring and assisting
the community. Therefore, the collaborative efforts of all parties will have positive effects on the community as a whole.