Gender Equality Promotion in a Model Thai Public Agency

บทคัดย่อ

This study aims to examine the approaches for promoting gender equality within a model public agency, specifically the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB). This agency was recognized in 2024 as an outstanding organization in the protection of rights and the promotion of gender equality in Thailand, and was the only public agency to receive this distinction that year. This research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing document analysis and in-depth interviews with key informants. The informants comprised nine executives and operational personnel directly involved in gender equality promotion within the model public agency. The results indicate that organizational practices are closely aligned with national policy directives and the mandates of parent organizations, with the agency structuring their operational framework around three principal dimensions of gender equality promotion. These dimensions include: (1) the reconfiguration of conceptual orientations, enhancement of knowledge and understanding, and cultivation of gender-equality through internal campaigns alongside broader public awareness-raising initiatives; (2) the development of policies, regulations, and institutional mechanisms to support gender equality, through coordination between legal units and internal departments, reinforced by policy instruments that emphasize incentives and inter-agency integration; and (3) the advancement of research and development to promote innovation. This is pursued through the establishment of integrated information and communication databases that support evidence-based decision-making, alongside knowledge management and collaborative initiatives with external organizations and network partners, supported by dedicated research funding. Overall, these findings show that the model government agency operates through a quality management cycle consisting of four stages: planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.