Waste Management Policy Implementation Through Cooperative Governance In Bangkok

Drastic increase in the quantity of waste has always been a great concern towards many academia,many solutions and mechanisms were suggested to tackle this big concern.In Thailand,the government both on national and local level has been trying to improve waste management for over four decades.With the overwhelming amount of waste being generated,Thailand is still facing with great challenges ahead.As a result,this research would like to examine solutions that could contribute to waste crisis alleviation in Bangkok in a sustainable manner.Bangkok has been the biggest waste generator in Thailand.From 2009 to 2011,Bangkok Metropolitan Administration(BMA)has shifted the focus on waste management to the source,key project initiative was Conmmunity-based Solid Waste Management Program.This research adopts a case study approach to extract the model of the successful communities in Bangkok on waste management.Three communities were selected,the Suvannabhumi Mosque Community,Sa-nguankham Community,and Kohklang Community.On the selecting criteria,the communities are different in sizes and types,but their success were certified by number of awards they received.This research would like to understand the waste management mechanism based on the supports and involvements that the community has received from different sectors.From the theoretical point of view drawn mainly from the New Governance Theory,along with Policy Implementation and Social Network Theory that help shape theoretical framework have suggested that the traditional mechanism of management(top-down,bottom-up)may not be sufficient to the problem-solving,in which the new type of governance,refers to as self-organizing network that is inclusive of all actors from different sectors may be the new alternative.The research has discovered that the network mechanism is present in all these communities and functions well as the supporting mechanism towards the community on waste management.There is a clear structure of network in promoting cooperative waste management participations in these communities though they may vary in number,and types of exchange.More importantly some of the key characteristics found to be significant in these three cases are personal norms,external motivator,community solidarity,activation and orchestration.Thus,with strong involvements from many sectors,waste management is proposed to be managed through cooperatives governance.