Local Strategic Development Plan and Community Strength in Upper North of Thailand

Abstract

     The purpose of this research is to study a) characteristics of strategic development plans of 84 tambons; b) the relationship between tambon strategic development plans and community strengths, based on the researcher’s focus groups with six groups in six tambons (groups include village headmen, village committees, tambon administrative officials, knowledgeable villagers, village elders, women’s groups, monks, and villagers), and participatory and unobtrusive observation; c) problems of Tambon Administration Organizations in drawing up strategic village development plans (based on focus groups with 12 individuals from local government organizations in six tambons and participatory and unobtrusive observation). Among 84 tambons Administration Organizations, this paper has included both Tambon Administration Organizations which received the good governance awards and they did not receive any.

     Findings: The reason is why Tambon Administration Organizations do not award for good governance award because these Tambon Administration Organizations mainly focus on development of infrastructure construction over 95 percent of the total development budget, with no support for community economic self-reliance, or for development of strategies and solutions for a local strategic development plan. Problems found in preparing the strategic development plan arise from the fact that the Tambon Administration Organization chief executive is not associated with idealistic leadership (professional leadership) resulting in an inability to alter strategic focus of plans, as well as the absence of strong work models for subordinates or mentoring of future leaders, and lack of clarity regarding roles of administrators versus decision makers. Both leaders and vil lagers still prioritize basic infrastructure development.

     On the other hands, Tambon Administration Organizations which received for good governance awards, this paper found out that; they greatly emphasize on social, human resource and educational development and they provide less an important on infrastructure construction. They still have not had any support for self-economics’ community from Tambon Administration Organizations. This is why some communities strongly have a civic community to initiative the local strategic development plans. Moreover, some of Tambon Administration Organizations leaderships significantly show the competency of being professional leadership.