Central-Local Government Relations in Thailand : Improving Service Delivery

[摘要] Addressing regional disparities inaccess to public services is an emerging developmentchallenge for Thailand. A well-functioning system ofCentral-Local Government Relations and proactive expenditurepolicy can help achieve this goal. Providing responsive andaccountable public services are necessary for maintainingtrust of the citizens in government and fostering cohesionwithin a unitary state like Thailand. Without a reversal ofcurrent regional disparities in access to public servicesand addressing tensions that are present in thecentral-local architecture, Thailand runs the risk oferoding public trust in government and leading to furtherpolarization. Thailand has a significant opportunity toimprove delivery of public services by: (i) making access topublic services more uniform across the country; (ii)transitioning fully to a unitary decentralized form ofgovernment with clearly demarcated roles and accountabilitystructures between different levels of government(especially within health and educationsectors) and toadministratively consolidate Laos into larger morefinancially viable entities; and (iii) establishing nationalservice delivery standards, publishing annual performancereports on these benchmarks along with unit costs ofstandard goods and supplies procured, and publishingreports on operations at the municipal level.

[发布日期] 2012-12-11 [发布机构] Bangkok

[学科分类] 社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

[关键词] ACCOUNTABILITY;ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS;CENTRAL-LOCAL ARCHITECTURE;DECENTRALIZATION;EDUCATION SECTOR