GOVERNING DISASTERS THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING: CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS IN THE ROYAL THAI ARMED FORCES

Phangkrathoke KANIN; Pisitwej WIPAWAN; Pongwiritthon KAJORNATTHAPOL

doi:10.14456/apsr.2026.6

Authors

Phangkrathoke KANIN Faculty of Business Administration, Northern College, Thailand
Pisitwej WIPAWAN Faculty of Business Administration, Northern College, Thailand
Pongwiritthon KAJORNATTHAPOL Faculty of Business Administration, Northern College, Thailand; IQRA Business School, University of Geomatika Malaysia, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/apsr.2026.6

Keywords:

Civil-Military Relations, Disaster Governance, Capacity Building, Institutional Legitimacy, Military Professionalization

Abstract

This study investigates personnel capacity development within the Royal Thai Armed Forces' Disaster Relief Training Center as a critical governance mechanism. Transcending conventional human resource frameworks, the research conceptualizes military capacity building as an inherently political process that profoundly shapes civil-military relations, inter-agency coordination, and institutional legitimacy. Using a robust mixed-methods case study design, the study systematically gathered empirical data from ninety commissioned and non-commissioned officers through structured questionnaires and in-depth executive interviews. Quantitative analyses reveal a significant positive correlation (r = .653) between personnel's comprehension of organizational objectives and their active engagement in strategic capacity-building initiatives. The findings successfully identify four vital dimensions of governance-oriented capacity: communication clarity, organizational learning, ethical alignment, and structured career advancement. However, structural constraints, such as misaligned training modules and limited access to education, significantly moderate overall developmental effectiveness. Ultimately, integrating operational competency-based training with transparent governance indicators is essential to recalibrate civil-military interactions and strengthen Thailand’s overarching disaster resilience framework.

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