Strategic Communication for the Groundwater Management: The Case of the “Clean Groundwater for Schools in the Remote Areas” Project in Thailand

Abstract

In 2013, the project called “Clean Groundwater for Schools in the Remote Areas”, as initiated by The Department of Groundwater Resources(DGR), was completed. The primary goal of the project was to provide clean groundwater for 2,478 schools throughout the country, especially those in remote drought-prone areas that were classified as “having severe problemsof water shortage.” This case reviewed the roles of strategic communication employed by the DGR in carrying out the CGSRA project. The three forms of communication utilized as the organization’s development tool and trust-building mechanism were: risk communication, crisis communication, and participatory communication. The case recounted some technical and socio-cultural hardships that occurred during the process of project implementation. Participation involving multi-stakeholders with differing agendas, perception, and interests could not be gained easily without organizational mandates and commitment through Stratcom.