🤔 Local governments are the closest public institutions to the people—but why does inequality still persist?

TU-RAC invites you to explore the answer through research.

We highlight a study from the Journal of Multidisciplinary Academic Research and Development (JMARD) titled “Analysis of the role of local administrative organizations in public services to reduce inequality in Thai society”, published in JMARD, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2025), by Nipapan Jensantikul, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University.

✨ Key Insights from the Article

🔹 Before 2015

Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs) primarily focused on providing public services and developing infrastructure according to legally mandated responsibilities. The main emphasis was placed on efficiency, effectiveness, and citizen satisfaction.

🔹 After 2015

The advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) brought greater attention to reducing inequality. As a result, LAOs began to place stronger focus on vulnerable groups such as older persons, children, women, persons with disabilities, and disadvantaged populations.

🔹 Examples of Local Implementation

📍 Yang Noeng Subdistrict Municipality, Chiang Mai Province developed a mobile application to identify the residential locations of elderly residents, enabling more efficient care and access to services.

📍 Sakon Nakhon City Municipality, Sakon Nakhon Province established collaborative networks to support education for children with special needs.

📍 The Home-Based Elderly Care Volunteer (Elderly Care Volunteers: ECVs) program was transferred to local administrative organizations to ensure elderly care is more aligned with local contexts.

⚠️ However, the article also highlights key limitations affecting inequality reduction, including:

• Insufficient budget and personnel

• Laws and regulations that do not sufficiently support inter-organizational collaboration among local governments

• Centralized decision-making authority that remains concentrated at the national level

🔍 The article suggests that although reducing inequality is not a direct legal mandate of local administrative organizations, they can play a crucial role in improving quality of life and promoting social equity—if they are adequately supported with resources, authority, and appropriate governance mechanisms. 🏘️

💬 If local governments are the closest institutions to the people, yet still face constraints in budget, personnel, and decision-making power, how can we truly build a more equal society?

📖 Read the full article here 👉 https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JMARD/article/view/268753