Participatory Budgeting: A Case Study of Provincial Administrative Organization

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to study the budgeting process of the Provincial Administrative Organizations in Thailand and to examine the limits to public participation in the budgeting process. Furthermore, the paper offers recommendations on how to increase for public participation in the budgeting process. The study uses qualitative methods, studying documents related to budgeting process such as laws and regulations, in addition to using in-depth interviews with administrators and staff at Provincial Administrative Organizations. The research shows that the budgeting process of Provincial Administrative Organizations limits public participation. Participation is limited to local development plan making, which only acts as a guideline, and is nonbinding. The final decision makers the annual budgets are the administrators of the provincial administrative organizations and the provincial administrative organizations council. Therefore, to reduce the limits to public participation in budgetary decisions, the paper recommends that the central government enacts legislation that creates mechanisms that allows people to participate in budget allocation decisions. In this regard, the nature or type of operation may that a form suitable to each area. Examples include direct decisions about public matters or political issues or in the form of a third-party intermediary intermediation.