Want public participation? Decentralize.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of my time in Thailand has been the realization that many Isaan communities lack the agency and voice that many Americans, myself included, tend to take for granted. The villagers that we learn from protest for months or years on end for their right to maintain their livelihoods and control over natural resources, and yet their demands are often discounted or left unanswered by the government. The root of this lack of government stewardship is beyond my experience and expertise to fully explain. Nevertheless, it is apparent after spending only two months here that the over-centralization of government power muffles the needs and desires of local communities.

Often, this centralization comes in the form of top-down megaprojects such as large dams and mines implemented by the national government in the name of economic development. Despite provisions for people’s participation in Thai law, the lack of power at the district and provincial levels of government makes it difficult for any public input to carry influence in the central cabinet’s decisions concerning where and how these large-scale projects are implemented.

Recently, we visited the community of Na Nong Bong in Loei Province. Along with five other nearby villages, Na Nong Bong faces water and soil contamination from a nearby gold mine owned by Tongkam Limited (TKL). The villagers report severe health problems, including skin rashes, respiratory problems, and cyanide poisoning. Their agricultural yields are falling and they are no longer able to utilize local water resources. Despite protesting for years, the affected villagers feel that their voices are not adequately heard by TKL or the government. This lack of public participation continues today as the company works to renew their license to mine in the area and looks to expand their operations.

Although the public can voice their opinions at several points in the mine licensing process, including a formal Public Scoping day and community forums, these avenues for public participation rarely make a difference. According to one representative from the Loei provincial Department of Primary Industries and Mines (under the Ministry of Industry), “The mining operations that have been stopped through public hearings have mostly smaller projects like rock quarries,” not large gold mines. Ultimately, the provincial office does not have any say in central cabinet processes. “We can give suggestions and include public input, but ultimately the central government can override our opinions,” he says. “We’re like a postman between the people and the cabinet.”

Nonprofit organizer P’Ubol spoke extensively with our group earlier this semester about “localism”; the idea that the Thai government should emphasize community autonomy and decision-making power instead of imposing sweeping policies on the entire country. This concept is especially important in Isaan, where communities have developed unique traditions and specialized ways of life over the course of many generations. The devolution of power to district and sub-district offices could facilitate the growth of public participation in development project proposals and amplify the voice of the Isaan people.

Such decentralization may sound like a rather utopian vision, but I do see small but important steps being made toward a more just and decentralized Thailand. For instance, the communities affected by the Rasi Sali dam in Sisaket Province are now working with the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) on a ten-year restoration plan to help mitigate the effects of the dam (e.g., the flooding of farmland and community wetlands and the destruction of fisheries). Villagers are included on each of the project subcommittees. As part of the plan, they also run a community learning center to support those affected by the dam and to help preserve local wisdom. “Villagers here have created a standard for Thai society,” says learning center director P’Banya. “There is still a movement toward megaprojects, but now people are starting to demand their rights and examine the real impact of government proposals.”

The seed of decentralization has been planted in some Isaan communities. It is now time to help it spread its roots and grow.

Kelly Hardin

Macalester College