THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAILAND 4.0 POLICY BY LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN KHON KAEN

Abstract

               The Thailand 4.0 policy is related to and in accordance with the roles and responsibilities of local administrative organization (LAOs) in terms of public service provision management. This research aimed to study the understanding of LAOs’ personnel towards Thailand 4.0 policy and to examine the policy implementation by LAOs. The researchers employed a multiple case study design and the data were collected from the interviews of 15 key informants, including executive, legislative, and administrative personnel, from five LAOs in Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province.

               This study found that:

               LAOs’ personnel shared the understanding on Thailand 4.0 policy in the same direction, that is the policy was initiated to solve the national economic problem, to raise citizens’ income to a higher level, to support people raising product quality, and to value for country’s higher income with the drive of technology and innovation. Under their individual context, each of the five LAOs has integrated the Thailand 4.0 policy to its public services in the terms of education, transportation, agriculture, and public health. However, there were still problems and obstacles in managing public services: particularly, insufficient funding and personnel and people’s lack of the understanding on Thailand 4.0 policy. The government needs to provide them the understanding of applying technology and innovation to be able to promote a more innovative local government in the near future.