Civic Public Administration

Abstract

     The present study proposes civic public administration as a new approach to the field.The author defines civic public administration as an administration that seeks firstly to help the people, particularly the poor, to help themselves, secondly to strengthen civic associations, and thirdly to boost the role and capacity of local governments. The author points out, through a literature review, that public administration as a field of study came of age first as old public administration, giving virtually no role to the people except as beneficiaries of government policy or subjects to law. Later, there emerged a new approach called public management giving a substantial role to business and people in public policy making and public administration. Most recently, new public service has arisen as a major approach in the discipline asking public administration to give the center stage to the making of citizenship. Civic public administration builds on top of the new public service. In practice Thailand has had some civic public administration at various levels, witnessing the revival or the rise of civic associations, local communities, multifarious volunteer organizations and activities, and local governments. There remains the task of inculcating the government, civil society, the people, and communities with the principle of civic public administration, and improving or streamlining those already in practice with all available resources and means.