Local Administration Journal

Women as Agents of Climate Adaptation: Gendered Nature-Based Solutions in Mekong Riverside Communities, Thailand

2026-05-31T12:45:15+07:00

This study explores women's roles as agents of climate adaptation in riparian communities along the Mekong River in Rattanawapi District, Nong Khai Province, Thailand. Using a qualitative research design grounded in Feminist Political Ecology, data were generated through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 key informants and focus group discussions with 86 community members (total n = 100), and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The study focuses on how women develop, negotiate, and enact adaptive strategies in response to intensifying hydro climatic disruption, including extreme heat, erratic precipitation, and growing uncertainty in Mekong River flow regimes driven by both climatic variability and upstream and tributary hydropower development. The findings identify four interrelated domains of women's adaptive agency: household-level resource and risk management; stewardship and intergenerational transmission of Traditional Ecological Knowledge; coordination and governance of social networks; and leadership in applied adaptive innovation. Across these domains, women's practices, including local seed conservation, integrated rice–fish cultivation, the use of compost, manure, and mixed cropping, and community-based fisheries governance, align with the core principles of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and may be understood as grassroots NbS that sustain both livelihoods and ecosystem functions. Yet this adaptation labor remains institutionally unrecognized and structurally undervalued, and women disproportionately absorb the costs of household resilience during climate shocks. The study concludes that climate adaptation policy in transboundary river context should formally recognize, resource, and support women’s adaptive roles, moving beyond deficit-oriented vulnerability framings towards gender-responsive governance that treats women’s agency as foundation for equitable and sustainable adaptation.

Addressing Socio-Economic Development Challenges among Community Members through Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Chemba District, Dodoma Region, Tanzania

2026-04-02T16:52:25+07:00

Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS) are member-owned financial institutions established to provide affordable credit, promote savings, and support socio-economic development, especially among underserved communities. This study examined how SACCOS can be effectively utilized to address financial challenges and promote socio-economic development among community members. Specifically, it explored the role of SACCOS in improving access to financial services, assessed their contribution to income-generating activities, and identified the challenges hindering their effectiveness in promoting community welfare. The study was conducted in Chemba District, Dodoma Region, Tanzania, adopting a cross-sectional research design within a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected from 357 members drawn from four SACCOS using questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were applied, with descriptive statistics used to summarize the data and content analysis used for qualitative data. Findings revealed that members generally possess low awareness of SACCOS operations, educational programs, and registration procedures, limiting participation and efficiency. Members reported improved access to affordable credit, better income levels, asset accumulation, enhanced savings habits, and participation in profit and dividend sharing. Additionally, increased financial inclusion and business development were observed. Social benefits such as trust, solidarity, and mutual support were also noted, though at modest levels, indicating the need for stronger social protection measures. The study recommends to the Government through Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission-(TCDC) to target interventions to strengthen member education, leadership accountability, product innovation, digital adoption, and financial literacy. Addressing these challenges will enhance SACCOS’ capacity to promote financial empowerment, resilience, and inclusive socio-economic development within communities.

From Official Information to Public Information: Rethinking Thailand’s Official Information Act in the Digital Age

2026-06-02T09:15:25+07:00

Since the Official Information Act B.E. 2540 (1997) has been in effect for over two decades, numerous provisions stipulated in this Act have become obsolete (outdated) and incongruous with the current societal context. Notably, the Thai state has undergone significant growth over the past 20 years, resulting in the emergence of novel state power structures. Furthermore, state authority and budgetary allocations have been decentralized to private-sector organizations while the scope of information deemed significant and of public interest has expanded considerably. The provisions of the Official Information Act B.E. 2540 (1997) are no longer adequate to address these evolving circumstances. A methodological approach was employed to examine the conceptual framework of public information, complemented by a comparative analysis of the United States Freedom of Information Act. The objective is to elucidate and discuss the limitations of public information accessibility. Based on these findings, the study aims to propose recommendations for amendments to the existing law or the enactment of new legislation to address the identified issues.

Land-Rent Arrears to the State Railway Authority of Thailand: A Case Study of Thepharak 4 Community in Khon Kaen Province

2026-06-04T16:23:24+07:00

Arrears in land-rent payment by the Thepharak 4 community on land owned by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) led to lease termination and the loss of residential rights. This article explores the causes and consequences of these arrears using a qualitative design with analysis at both household and community levels. Seven key informants were engaged: community leader, community committee members, and household representatives (from the previous round of the State Railway of Thailand leases and from the new round). Data was collected from relevant documents, in-depth interviews, from 13 January to 7 March 2025, and was analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that the community, located on the State Railway of Thailand property and holding a sublease through the Community Organizations Development Institute (Public Organization: CODI), was unable to pay rent on schedule, resulting in lease cancellation and litigation to recover outstanding debts. The arrears were driven by (1) precarious employment and income, (2) limited community management capacity, and (3) a complex rent-collection system. The principal impact was housing insecurity due to the loss of lease rights. Subsequently, when the State Railway of Thailand authorized a contracted company to manage the leases, administrative processes became clearer; the community was able to repay arrears and make timely payments, regain residential rights, and improve relations with the State Railway of Thailand Policy recommendations call for strengthening community security through social welfare and quality-of-life initiatives, and for expanding the research to incorporate perspectives from state agencies, the private sector, and civil society. Such comprehensive evidence would support the design of effective and sustainable solutions to the problem of land-rent arrears.

Criminal Liability under the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562: A Critical Analysis of Sections 79 and 80 as Mechanisms for Fundamental Rights Protection and Implications for Legal Enforcement in Thailand

2026-06-05T10:26:58+07:00

This academic article aims to critically analyze the structure of criminal liability under the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (PDPA), focusing specifically on Sections 79 and 80, which establish criminal sanctions for data controllers and for persons who acquire personal data of others through the performance of duties under the Act, respectively. This article proposes that while the PDPA carries significant legislative intent to protect personal data rights as a fundamental right under Section 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2560, the criminal liability framework under Sections 79 and 80 contains several jurisprudential weaknesses that undermine effective enforcement. Although the focus is criminal liability, the article also examines administrative fines and civil liability insofar as they shape how the criminal provisions operate in practice.
The article analyzes the issue across four principal dimensions: (1) an analysis of the elements of offences under Sections 79 and 80 in comparison with general principles of criminal law, particularly issues of strict liability and burden of proof; (2) a comparative analysis of the liability structures applicable to data controllers versus persons who acquire personal data through the performance of duties under the Act; (3) an examination of selected publicly reported cases and enforcement practices of the Personal Data Protection Committee Office (PDPC) during B.E. 2565–2568; and (4) a critical examination of PDPA's implications in the context of modern digital technology, including instances where PDPA has been invoked in cases involving publicly accessible personal data.

The analysis concludes that Sections 79 and 80 establish differentiated forms of liability for data controllers and persons who acquire personal data through duties performed under the Act, but possess significant weaknesses in two areas: first, the standard of proof for “damage” remains insufficiently defined in practice, and second, the prescribed penalties may be inadequate to deter violations by large organizations. This article proposes a reform framework termed the “Multi-tiered Organizational Accountability Model” (MOAM) to strengthen the effectiveness of PDPA enforcement in Thailand.

Strategic Procurement in the Digital Era: A Conceptual Framework for the Development of Integrated Procurement Techniques

2026-04-08T15:34:56+07:00

This academic article aims to: 1) analyze and synthesize concepts related to strategic procurement within the context of the digital era; and 2) propose an integrated framework for the development of procurement techniques. A systematic literature review and conceptual synthesis were employed as the research methodology. The findings reveal that procurement has transitioned from an operational activity into a strategic mechanism that plays a vital role in value creation and organizational competitiveness. However, prior literature and organizational practices still exhibit fragmented development, resulting in a lack of a framework that systematically explains structural relationships. Consequently, this article proposes an integrated digital procurement framework grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm, which comprises four essential dimensions. Within this framework, the technology dimension serves as an antecedent, the data capability dimension acts as a mediator, the procurement strategy dimension functions as a direct predictor, and the human capability dimension operates as a moderating context. This framework not only bridges the academic gap in explaining causal relationships but also serves as a practical guideline for organizations to systematically evaluate and enhance their efficiency, agility, and competitiveness in the digital age.