Problem overview:

     Framework for coordination: According to the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act of 1992, provincial and local authorities are allowed to formulate their own environmental management plans under the approval of the National Environment Board.

     Integrating all stakeholders: This act which allows local authorities to formulate their own environmental management plans provides more opportunities for local people to participate in planning process.

Background in summary:

     Thai Public Administration: Until 1991, the National Public Administration Act was promulgated to provide three basic levels of public administration in Thailand: central, provincial, and local administration.

• The central administration falls under the basic concept of centralization and consists of 15 ministries.
  
  

• Provincial Administration comes under the concept of deconcentration, which means that the central government delegates some of its power and authority to its officers who work in provinces and districts. These officers are from various ministries and departments and carry out their work according to laws and regulations assigned by the central government.
  
  

• Local administration in Thailand is based upon the concept of decentralization, which allows local people to participate in local affairs under concerned laws and regulations.
  
  

     Decentralization: Under the country's existing administrative structure, authority is delegated from the capital to the region and then to local areas. In general, development policy and planning in Thailand is a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches, while the public administration system of the country is highly centralized. Thailand has gradually strengthened the capacity of local government since 5th National Plan. And the 9th National Plan (2002-2006) will concentrate upon improving the development capability of the local administrations. Development plans will integrate all aspects, monitoring systems will be enhanced, information system upgraded, and human resource capability increased.

     Environmental Management: According to the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act of 1992, policy and planning mechanisms are taken into account as a strategic tool for decentralization. It allows provincial and local authorities to formulate their own environmental management plans. Any province which has its territory designated as an environmentally protected area or pollution control area or other provinces which desire to enhance and conserve the environmental quality are eligible to formulate an action plan and submit it to the National Environment Board for approval.

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
-	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	-	Cost efficient.
2	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		2	Participation of the community
2	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	2	Participation of resource owners/users
-	Socio-cultural adaptability.	-	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
-	Level of development adaptability.	-	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
3	Style of government adaptability.	2	Ability to attract political interest/support
2	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	-	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example:       Environmental protection processes in local area may be more efficient because the plans are planned and done by local people who relate directly with their resources. For example, local people may be able to monitor the activities in local area better than central government officials.      Framework for coordination: Even though each local community has its right to formulate its own environmental management plans, the National Environment Board (NEB) also has to play an important role to control and supervise local communities. For the success of the decentralization, NEB should understand and play its roles correctly by not to order or command what local communities should do, but to advise and give them some knowledge and experiences. Sustainability of the project:   Adaptability of the project to other situations:       The adaptability of the law depends very much on the government style and political commitment for decentralization of authority. Process of decision making and implementation:      Integrating all stakeholders: This act allows provincial and local authorities to create their own environmental management plans so the local people or local organizations will have more opportunity to involve in planning process. Because the plans are from local level so they will be able to reflect the problems accurately. This will make it sustain over time. Cost efficiency: