Civic Participation in Local Tax Administration A Case of Signboard Tax in Three Sub-District Administrative Organizations

Abstract

          This research advocates civic engagement in local tax administration. Experimental study has been employed in three sub-district administrative organizations (SAOs); namely Koh Yaw SAO, Songkhla; Don Kaew SAO, Chiang Mai; and Non Non SAO, Ubon Ratchathanee. Three groups of volunteers in each SAO were established and trained regarding legal frameworks and SAO’s responsibilities. They also were assigned communal areas for signboards’ surveillance and reported the survey results to the SAOs. Findings indicate that this civic-engagement measure delivers impressive results. Volunteers are actively and courageously engaging in surveying signboards and reporting their potential risks to the community. Besides, the volunteer groups help elevate the transparency of local tax administration and the accuracy of signboard tax database. Overall, this research endeavor indicates the capabilities of civic engagement in enhancing community order and cleanliness and, therefore, this social empowerment measure shall be promoted in a wider scale.