Autonomy of the Local Authorities in Thailand

Abstract

This academic article has the objective to study the principle of local autonomy of the local administrative organisations in the Thai legal system. The principle of local autonomy is important to the decentralisation movement because the local administrative organisations shall have the autonomy to manage their organisation, human resources, and budgets. In consequence, this can provide the expedition for organizing and managing public services to the local population.  

This article was committed by using the literature review method from both primary legal documents such as the Constitution, legal legislations, relative regulations, and laws in other countries, and secondary legal documents such as legal textbooks and official reports provided by administrative authorities in order to analyze and offer suggestions for amending the laws concerning the local autonomy of the local administrative organisations. The results of the study found that the principle of local autonomy of the local administrative organisations has been stipulated in the Thai legal system. However, there are the ambiguity of the principle and legal measures impeding the mentioned principle such as the prefectural control, the control committed by another organisation, as well as the ambiguity of the local competencies.