Foreigners' Experiences and Perception of Street-level Good Governance in Thai Public Sectors

บทคัดย่อ

Good governance principles have been adopted, applied, and implemented in Thailand, reflecting global trends. This notion enables public sector organizations to perform consistently in the best interests of stakeholders and residents, directly contributing to positive user experiences.  Such favorable experiences are inextricably linked to foreigners' desires to interact with and work in Thailand. This research aims to discover foreigners' perceptions and experiences on good governance performed by the Thai public sector at the street- level. This qualitative research, in-depth interviews, and a group interview shed light on the public sector's effectiveness and efficiency as a service provider. There were 26 participants in this study, including 20 participants in in-depth interviews and 6 in a group interview. Adopting strong good governance practices can improve the country's global reputation and perception, benefiting the Thai economy.

The findings indicate that the perspectives and experiences of the majority of participants from both the in-depth and group discussion identified significant concerns and need for improvement in the areas of the rule of law, equity, transparency, and accountability.  Also, the public sector's service performance toward foreigners can sometimes be inequitable due to race, wealth, and social status. Further research can uncover the underlying challenges that prevent the success of street-level good governance in the Thai public sector, that can be beneficial and help improve Thailand's reputation.