Insuring Justice and Reducing Inequality at the Local Level: Challenging Missions of Local Administration

Abstract

     Injustice and inequality are global issues and Thailand is one of the countries affected by these problems. Insuring justice and reducing inequality at the local level are among the challenging missions of local administrative organizations, and that leads to the major point of this research: to recommend approaches for expanding the role of local administrative organizations in ensuring justice and reducing inequality. This research used qualitative research methods and the data
were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The results showed that injustice and inequality are still problems all over the world, even though there is a trend for general improvement in these areas. The severity of these problems is different in
each country. In Thailand, previous governments have had policies that put more emphasis on social welfare, but inequalities still persist. In urban areas, inequality and injustice involve economics, rights of the city-dwellers, and inequality in land use and housing. In rural areas, inequality involves economics, the utilization of natural resources (land, forest, water) and the environment, access to public health services, and social inequality. Since 1999, local administrative  organizations have devised plans and projects intended to solve problems of injustice and inequality in their localities, but most local administrators have not had clear policies and goals to this end. The researcher suggests that the government and local administrators should clearly state their political will and demonstrate a sincere intention to promote justice and reduce social inequality. Education institutions should research the issue and transfer the knowledge to local administrators, other elected representatives, and the general population. Everyone should all work together to find ways to promote justice and reduce social inequality in their local areas.