The performance of the environmental management of local governments in Thailand

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of the environmental management of local governments (EMLG) in Thailand and examined the relationship between specific management factors (context, input, and process) and output . Data were collected by using questionnaires with 385 local governments consisting of municipalities and sub-district administration organizations (SAOs) selected by multistage sampling and systematic random sampling countrywide. In addition, the key informants’ interview, e.g. administrators and officials of local governments, located in four regions was done for supporting and explaining quantitative results.

The findings revealed that the performance of the EMLG in Thailand was at a moderate level (xˉ = 3.05, SD = .442). The performance of both municipalities (urban areas) and SAOs (rural areas) was at a moderate level. However, the mean score for the overall performance of municipalities (xˉ = 3.18, SD = .391) was higher than that of the SAOs (xˉ = 3.00, SD = .453). The structural equation model (SEM) analysis indicated a significant relationship (R2 = 0.88) between the context and the output (t-test = 7.59, p < .01) and between the input and the output (t-test = 2.07, p < .05). However, the SEM analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between the process and the output (t-test = 0.40, p > 0.05).

This study suggests four strategies for enhancing the performance of the EMLG: building a sustainable culture; environmental learning organization (ELO); decreasing cost and increasing revenue; and precautionary environmental management. These four strategies were confirmed by the interviews with representatives from three relevant sectors: the central agency, the local government, and the education sector.