What does this research mean for the field?

Prior to the 1997 constitution, local government in Thailand was structurally weak, characterized by limited administrative responsibilities, low revenues, and state-dominated internal structures. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To analyze the impact of the 1997 Constitution on local government structures and responsibilities in Thailand.

April 3, 2026Open Access

Day 2: Law and Political Development in Asia Session III: The Political and Administrative Reform in Asia "Local Government Reform in Thailand under the New Constitution"

LSLa-Ongskul Somtob PSPattanapratchaya Sura

Key Points

To analyze the impact of the 1997 Constitution on local government structures and responsibilities in Thailand.
Review of local government structures prior to the 1997 Constitution
Analysis of responsibilities assigned to local governments post-1997
Examination of financial powers and tax authority of local governments
Local governments were given more responsibilities for public services after the 1997 Constitution
Local governments gained limited financial authority to levy taxes and duties
Central government previously dominated local governance, limiting local autonomy.

Abstract

Background and IntroductionBefore the emergence of the new constitution in 1997, Thailand had a weak local government.Its weakness was principally reflected in local government's few responsibilities and obligations, low revenues, state-dominated internal structure and insufficient staff.Local government in every form -Provincial Administrative Organisation (hereinafter "PAO"), Municipality, Sanitary District, Tambon Administrative Organisation ("TAO), City of Pattaya or even Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ("BMA") 1 -was given few responsibilities, by the central government, for providing some simple public services such as garbage collection, waste disposal, road and waterway maintenance and market management.Most of important public services in localities such as those related to universities, hospitals, high ways and airports were provided by central government agencies, either ministries, departments or state enterprises.Financially, local government was granted by central government the authority to levy limited categories of taxes and duties, most of which are the property taxe, local maintenance tax, commercial plate tax and livestock slaughter duty.Furthermore, before the fiscal year of 2001, all local government units in the country were annually allocated by central government only 10 percent of total state revenues.

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