Governmental and nongovernmental organizations in Thailand : similarities and differences in their characteristics and roles within public services and public policy

Abstract

There has been an increase in the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the Thai policy process. This study examines some of their characteristics by comparing them to those of public organizations. Their roles in public policy as well as their relationship with public organizations are also studied. This study focuses further attention on two policy types-environment and welfare. A survey on public organizations and NGOs involving in the environmental and welfare policy areas, through the perception of the organizations’ employees, is used as the method of data collection. Comparative analyses are performed on two organizational and two policy types with respect to some characteristics and roles of the organizations in the policy process. The study results found many positive characteristics of NGOs, such as their high level of altruism and civic consciousness, effectiveness, efficiency, commitment and high sense of reward among their employees, as well as their active roles in public policy. Less corruption is reported from NGOs than from public organizations. However, while the two organizations share tasks in the policy process, differences in organizational characteristics and attitudes, such as their different focus on national versus local interests, likely contribute to conflicts between them. Few shared traits, such as their multiple social goals could be the focal point in the effort to build relationship between them, so that they can complement and supplement each other’s role in public policy. In terms of the two policy areas, environmental policy area exhibits a high level of conflict in public organizations and NGOs’ relation. A more pleasant work atmosphere in the form of more cooperative effort is found in welfare policy area. An attempt to explain such empirical finding is offered at the end of the study’s report.