King Prajadhipok’s Institute Journal

The Erosion of the Local Political Power Cycle and Good Governance

Sappaya Khaomuenwai — 2026-05-29

This academic article analyzes the crisis of faith in grassroots democracy, eroded by the power cycles of influential networks and political families at the local level. Local governance, which should be the primary mechanism for promoting good governance and citizen participation, has been transformed into a tool for maintaining personal interests and perpetuating power through hereditary succession, systematically extending from the provincial level down to the village. This phenomenon reflects a distortion of the power structure, turning political positions into family businesses, with those behind the scenes manipulating decisions to benefit their cronies at the local administrative and legislative levels. There is evidence of abuse of power that violates the principles of transparency and accountability. Budget and development projects are controlled to align with the interests of kinship-based business groups. At the village level, some community leaders use their positions to accumulate illicit wealth through front-line activities to secure public funds and leverage economic influence through lending to control the masses and monopolize votes. Upon termination of their terms, positions are passed on to spouses or relatives to create a barrier against scrutiny and perpetuate the cycle of benefits. The resulting impact severely undermines genuine local development, as public resources are used in inefficient projects that fail to meet the actual needs of the people. Furthermore, it erodes the spirit of democracy, leading to despair and submission among local residents. This article therefore proposes reform approaches through the creation of independent external oversight mechanisms, the modification of project evaluation methods to focus on quality of life outcomes rather than activities, and the improvement of laws regarding applicant qualifications to prevent nepotism and the monopolization of power by kinship-based networks. The aim is to restore good governance and return transparent and fair self-governance to Thai society sustainably.

Lessons from Venezuela’s 1999 Constitution for Designing a Democratic Constitution-Making Process in Thailand

Supanut Boonsod — 2026-05-29

The experience of Venezuela following the 1999 Constitution demonstrates that when the constitution-making process is not liberal-democratic and the system of checks and balances is weak, a constitution can become a tool for undermining democracy.

Amid deep inequality, elite decline, and public distrust before 1999, Hugo Chávez gained overwhelming popular support, leading to the drafting of a new constitution by a constituent assembly dominated by a single political group. Although the constitution formally guaranteed human rights and rule-of-law principles, the one-sided drafting process enabled provisions that allowed political interference with accountability mechanisms, ultimately facilitating the rise of an authoritarian regime.

This highlights that the process of constitution-making is as important as its content. When a dominant leader controls the process, the resulting constitution may become an “authoritarian constitution” rather than a democratic rule-of-law constitution.

Therefore, carefully designing safeguards to protect the people’s constituent power—both procedurally and substantively—is essential to prevent the transformation of popular sovereignty into a source of legitimacy for authoritarianism. The Venezuelan experience offers important lessons for future constitutional drafting in Thailand.

Book review: The Political Philosophy of AI: An Introduction

Dusadee Vorathumdusdee — 2026-05-29

This article examines the political philosophy of artificial intelligence through the work of Mark Coeckelbergh, highlighting how AI reshapes core political concepts such as freedom, justice, democracy, and power. It argues that AI is not a neutral tool but an active force that structures social relations, reinforces inequalities, and influences governance. The study explores issues including algorithmic bias, surveillance, data capitalism, and the erosion of democratic processes through echo chambers and manipulation. It also extends the discussion to non-human actors, considering environmental and posthumanist perspectives.

Sustainable Transport Begins with Building Design

Saharat Augnistasat — 2026-05-29

This study examines the feasibility of promoting sustainable urban transport in Thailand, specifically walking, cycling, and the use of public transport, through regulatory controls on the design of newly constructed buildings. Using documentary and comparative methodology, the findings indicate that although Thailand’s policy framework acknowledges sustainable mobility to some extent, the existing policies, legal measures and administrative mechanisms do not adequately support the enhancement of sustainable transport through a shift in travel behaviors away from private car use by building-design measures. This situation contrasts with Singapore, which is examined in this report as a comparative case. While not without imperfections, Singapore has established a clear and coherent national framework for sustainable mobility, particularly through the systematic promotion of walking, cycling, and public transport in a way that is integrated into broader urban development plans. Singapore has also incorporated traffic impact assessment mechanisms that function not only to manage traffic as an externality of real estate development, as in the traditional approach to traffic impact assessment, but also to actively encourage a shift toward more sustainable modes of transport. The study concludes that Thailand may benefit from adopting elements of this approach through the construction permit mechanisms under building control laws, in conjunction with building design manuals and guidelines. However, any such reforms would need to proceed with care and close attention to Thailand’s institutional and contextual constraints. Meaningful progress would likely require substantial reforms and revisions to relevant laws, regulations, and policy frameworks, including those governing traffic impact assessment mechanisms urban planning and building control systems, all of which are significantly connected to building-design measures for promoting sustainable transport.

The Process of Capacity Building for Local Administrative Organizations in Designing and Developing Projects to Reduce Educational Inequality

Wilawan Hongnakorn — 2026-05-29

This study pursued two objectives: to develop a systematic capacity building process enabling local administrative organizations (LAOs) to design and implement projects aimed at reducing educational inequality and to examine the outcomes of this capacity-building effort. Employing an action research approach, the study involved 23 participating provincial administrative organizations, municipalities, and subdistrict administrative organizations that are located across diverse regions of Thailand.

The findings indicate that an appropriate capacity-building process comprises seven key steps. (1) self-assessment prior to implementation, through which local administrative organizations review their educational responsibilities, existing educational inequality issues, and organizational capacity; (2) seminars to foster positive attitudes and build foundational knowledge, enhancing LAOs’ awareness and understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and approaches to reducing educational inequality; (3) establishment of an internal working committee, providing a core mechanism for project design and development; (4) collaborative brainstorming among committee members to identify priority issues, analyze root causes, and determine appropriate solutions, thereby generating essential information for project design and development; (5) learning seminars featuring exemplary domestic and international practices, enabling LAOs to draw upon adaptable models and lessons learned; (6) hands-on training workshops to strengthen project design and development skills, allowing LAOs to formulate projects that are ready for implementation in their local contexts; and (7) inter-LAO knowledge exchange, which broadens perspectives and supports the refinement and further development of locally grounded projects.

Regarding the outcomes of the capacity-building process, the findings reveal that all 23 participating LAOs were able to develop concrete projects aimed at reducing educational inequality that were well aligned with local problems and contextual conditions. These projects addressed educational inequality across seven dimensions: (1) enhancing the quality of education for children with special needs; (2) improving educational access and quality for early childhood learners; (3) expanding educational opportunities for at-risk and out-of-school children; (4) raising academic achievement across subject areas to meet established standards; (5) strengthening Thai reading and writing skills as a foundation for equitable learning; (6) developing teacher capacity to promote equitable educational quality; and (7) improving educational quality and equity through the use of digital technologies. Across these dimensions, a wide range of strategies and activities were employed to address educational inequality in ways that were responsive to the specific needs and contexts of each locality.

Based on the findings, the study offers several recommendations for strengthening the capacity-building process. (1) target areas, priority issues, or specific groups of children and youth should be clearly identified in order to ensure focused and effective problem-solving; (2) LAOs should adopt a whole-population perspective by taking responsibility for all children and youth within their jurisdictions, while simultaneously engaging parents as key stakeholders, as parental factors contribute to educational inequality. In addition, the process should begin with small-scale pilot projects before scaling up and emphasize participatory approaches and the development of local collaborative networks; and (3) the process should incorporate an additional implementation-support phase that assists LAOs in translating projects into practice, including continuous monitoring and evaluation, as well as systematic reflection and lesson learning to enhance sustainability.

The Citizen Participation in Local Legislative Ordinance Initiative

Intuon Sangarun — 2026-05-29

This research focuses on promoting public participation in proposing local ordinances under the Initiative of Local Ordinances Act, B.E. 2565 (2022), using the Nongwang Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Roi-Et Province as a case study. The objectives are to facilitate the creation of a draft local ordinance that reflects the actual will of the people and to develop a model for public participation in local legislative initiatives. The study employs Participatory Action Research (PAR), collecting data through in-depth interviews, workshops, and lesson-learned sessions with various stakeholders. The findings reveal that the initiative process significantly strengthened community participation in Nongwang’s community. The process began with brainstorming sessions that transformed local concerns—particularly regarding natural resources and the environment—into a legal framework. This resulted in the (draft) Ordinance of Nongwang on Natural Resource and Environmental Management. Key components of the ordinance include the establishment of participation mechanisms at both village and subdistrict levels, the creation of a dedicated fund, and the definition of operational guidelines to restore ecological balance while supporting the community's traditional way of life. Furthermore, the study highlights that the Local Initiative Act B.E. 2565 effectively removed previous legal barriers, such as excessive signature requirements, thereby empowering citizens to exercise their rights in governing their own communities. The Nongwang case study serves as a successful model for citizen-led local legislation that can be adapted and applied by other local government organizations across Thailand.

Public Policy Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Participation in Local Public Resource Governance

Praepattra Kiaochaoum — 2026-05-29

Local public resource management has become a critical issue in national development, particularly in the context of increasing environmental complexity and rapid urbanization. Water resource management, in particular, is closely linked to quality of life, ecological sustainability, and community identity. This qualitative study aims to (1) analyze the patterns and processes of stakeholder participation, (2) synthesize public policy lessons, and (3) propose policy recommendations for enhancing participatory and sustainable local public resource management.

This research adopts an in-depth case study approach. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with key informants, including administrators and officers from Nakhon Pathom Municipality, Nakhon Pathom Provincial Administrative Organization, relevant government agencies, community leaders from the Chedi Bucha canal area, representatives from Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Ratchaworamahawihan, volunteer networks, and representatives from Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University. In addition, policy documents were analyzed, and field observations were conducted. Data triangulation was employed to enhance the reliability and validity of the findings.

The findings reveal that the management of the Chedi Bucha canal reflects a collaborative governance approach, with Nakhon Pathom Municipality serving as the central coordinating mechanism. This involves multi-sectoral collaboration among provincial and local government agencies, religious institutions, local communities, educational institutions, and Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, which plays a key role in providing academic support, research, and community engagement activities. Participation occurs at multiple levels, including information sharing, joint planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, leading to the development of shared ownership and the continuity of resource management.

The policy lessons indicate that the success of local public resource management depends not solely on formal institutional structures but on the effective design of participatory mechanisms that promote co-creation, bridging among stakeholders, and mutual ownership. These processes are supported by social capital, trust, and local cultural identity. Based on these findings, this study proposes the “CBM Model” (Chedi Bucha Model) as an innovative conceptual framework to explain multi-stakeholder collaborative mechanisms in local resource management.

In terms of policy implications, local authorities should promote continuous participatory platforms, develop multi-stakeholder working mechanisms, and integrate the role of academic institutions, such as Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, in supporting knowledge development and collaborative learning to enhance the sustainability of public resource management. The findings of this study extend the understanding of collaborative governance in the context of local governance in Thailand and offer a practical framework that can be applied to the management of public resources in other areas with similar socio-cultural contexts.