Local government in Thailand is divided into thesabans (municipalities) in cities, districts, subdistricts, and provincial administrative organizations (PAOs); tambons (rural) administrative organizations (TAOs); and special administrative areas, namely Bangkok, the capital and most urbanised city, and Pattaya, the biggest international tourist destination (Nagai et al., 2007). Local governments are generally responsible in handling and managing waste in their areas (Akenji et al., 2019).
Section 50(3) of the Thesaban (Municipal) Act B.E. 2496 (1953) declares that it is the responsibility of thesaban to clean roads, pathways, and public places and rid them of waste. Section 54(11) engages the local government to improve slums and keep them clean. Some famous cities such as Phuket and Hadjai are leading municipality models, with their stable financial backgrounds, and have introduced efficient methods of municipal solid waste management such as incineration. The duties of PAOs are specified in the Provincial Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2540 (1997). For tambons, the Tambon Council and Tambon Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2537 (1994) requires TAOs to keep roads, waterways, paths, and public places clean and to provide garbage and sewage services in their responsible area (Section 67[2]). As a special administrative area, Bangkok implements the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528 (1985) and Pattaya implements the Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999) (Administrative Court of Thailand, 2013).
1. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
The Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992) requires each local government to deliver power and handle municipal solid waste management in its jurisdiction (Section 18). The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528 (1985), Section 89 (Manomaivibool, 2005) states: ‘Subject to other Laws, it is the duty of Bangkok Metropolitan Authority to do the following in its territory: …(4) maintain the country cleanliness and orderliness…, (14) develop and conserve the environment….’ The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration can impose detailed regulations on municipal solid waste management, including waste collection fees (Manomaivibool, 2005).
2. Pattaya City Administrative Authority
Section 62 of the Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999) states: ‘Subject to this Act, it is the duty of Pattaya City Administrative Authority to do the following in its territory: … (7) keep the country clean and tidy, (8) disposal of waste and wastewater treatment ….” The Pattaya City Administrative Authority outsources solid waste management to a professional private contractor, which will provide all major phases of solid waste processing, such as collecting, transporting, and disposing (Anantanatorn et al., 2015). The Pattaya City Administrative Authority provides the Pattaya City Solid Waste Management Term of Reference 2015–2019 to regulate the service process, which includes some policies on three phases: employing door-to-door methods of garbage collection, garbage bulk tank stations, and big-container garbage stations; transporting in compacted volume; and disposing garbage into landfills that can handle 400–450 tonnes of solid waste (Anantanatorn et al., 2015).
Administrative Court of Thailand (2013), The Administrative Judge and Environmental Law. https://www.aihja.org/images/users/114/files/Congress_of_Cartagena_-_Report_of_Thailand_2013-THAILAND-EN.pdf (accessed 06 November 2019).
Akenji, L., M. Bengtsson, M. Kato, M. Hengesbaugh, Y. Hotta, C. Aoki-Suzuki, P.J.D. Gamaralalage, and C. Liu (2019), Circular Economy and Plastics: A Gap-Analysis in ASEAN Member States. Brussels: European Commission Directorate General for Environment and Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development, Jakarta: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Anantanatorn, A., S. Yossomsakdi, A.F. Wijaya, and S. Rochma (2015), ‘Public Service Management in Local Government, Thailand (Case Study of Solid Waste Management in Pattaya City)’, International Journal of Applied Sociology, 5(1), pp.5–15.
Government of Bangkok (1985), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bangkok_Metropolitan_Administration_Act,_BE_2528_(1985)/2007.08.01#c-114 (accessed 06 November 2019).
Government of Pattaya (1999), Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999).
Government of Thailand (1992), Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992). http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0223.pdf (accessed 08 November 2019).
Government of Thailand (1997). Provincial Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2540 (1997). http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2540/A/062/1.PDF (accessed 18 March 2022).
Manomaivibool, P. (2005), Municipal Solid Waste Management in Bangkok: The Cases of the Promotion of Source Reduction and Source Separation in Bangkok and in Roong Aroon School. Lund: IIIEE.
Nagai, F., K. Ozaki, and Y. Kimata (2007), Analysis from a Capacity Development Perspective: JICA Program on Capacity Building of Thai Local Authorities. Tokyo: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Local government in Thailand is divided into thesabans (municipalities) in cities, districts, subdistricts, and provincial administrative organizations (PAOs); tambons (rural) administrative organizations (TAOs); and special administrative areas, namely Bangkok, the capital and most urbanised city, and Pattaya, the biggest international tourist destination (Nagai et al., 2007). Local governments are generally responsible in handling and managing waste in their areas (Akenji et al., 2019).
Section 50(3) of the Thesaban (Municipal) Act B.E. 2496 (1953) declares that it is the responsibility of thesaban to clean roads, pathways, and public places and rid them of waste. Section 54(11) engages the local government to improve slums and keep them clean. Some famous cities such as Phuket and Hadjai are leading municipality models, with their stable financial backgrounds, and have introduced efficient methods of municipal solid waste management such as incineration. The duties of PAOs are specified in the Provincial Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2540 (1997). For tambons, the Tambon Council and Tambon Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2537 (1994) requires TAOs to keep roads, waterways, paths, and public places clean and to provide garbage and sewage services in their responsible area (Section 67[2]). As a special administrative area, Bangkok implements the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528 (1985) and Pattaya implements the Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999) (Administrative Court of Thailand, 2013).
1. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
The Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992) requires each local government to deliver power and handle municipal solid waste management in its jurisdiction (Section 18). The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528 (1985), Section 89 (Manomaivibool, 2005) states: ‘Subject to other Laws, it is the duty of Bangkok Metropolitan Authority to do the following in its territory: …(4) maintain the country cleanliness and orderliness…, (14) develop and conserve the environment….’ The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration can impose detailed regulations on municipal solid waste management, including waste collection fees (Manomaivibool, 2005).
2. Pattaya City Administrative Authority
Section 62 of the Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999) states: ‘Subject to this Act, it is the duty of Pattaya City Administrative Authority to do the following in its territory: … (7) keep the country clean and tidy, (8) disposal of waste and wastewater treatment ….” The Pattaya City Administrative Authority outsources solid waste management to a professional private contractor, which will provide all major phases of solid waste processing, such as collecting, transporting, and disposing (Anantanatorn et al., 2015). The Pattaya City Administrative Authority provides the Pattaya City Solid Waste Management Term of Reference 2015–2019 to regulate the service process, which includes some policies on three phases: employing door-to-door methods of garbage collection, garbage bulk tank stations, and big-container garbage stations; transporting in compacted volume; and disposing garbage into landfills that can handle 400–450 tonnes of solid waste (Anantanatorn et al., 2015).
Administrative Court of Thailand (2013), The Administrative Judge and Environmental Law. https://www.aihja.org/images/users/114/files/Congress_of_Cartagena_-_Report_of_Thailand_2013-THAILAND-EN.pdf (accessed 06 November 2019).
Akenji, L., M. Bengtsson, M. Kato, M. Hengesbaugh, Y. Hotta, C. Aoki-Suzuki, P.J.D. Gamaralalage, and C. Liu (2019), Circular Economy and Plastics: A Gap-Analysis in ASEAN Member States. Brussels: European Commission Directorate General for Environment and Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development, Jakarta: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Anantanatorn, A., S. Yossomsakdi, A.F. Wijaya, and S. Rochma (2015), ‘Public Service Management in Local Government, Thailand (Case Study of Solid Waste Management in Pattaya City)’, International Journal of Applied Sociology, 5(1), pp.5–15.
Government of Bangkok (1985), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bangkok_Metropolitan_Administration_Act,_BE_2528_(1985)/2007.08.01#c-114 (accessed 06 November 2019).
Government of Pattaya (1999), Pattaya City Administration Act B.E. 2542 (1999).
Government of Thailand (1992), Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992). http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0223.pdf (accessed 08 November 2019).
Government of Thailand (1997). Provincial Administrative Organization Act B.E. 2540 (1997). http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2540/A/062/1.PDF (accessed 18 March 2022).
Manomaivibool, P. (2005), Municipal Solid Waste Management in Bangkok: The Cases of the Promotion of Source Reduction and Source Separation in Bangkok and in Roong Aroon School. Lund: IIIEE.
Nagai, F., K. Ozaki, and Y. Kimata (2007), Analysis from a Capacity Development Perspective: JICA Program on Capacity Building of Thai Local Authorities. Tokyo: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
