ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS IN SOLVING POLLUTION PROBLEMS FROM MINING ACTIVITIES
ABSTRACT
The lead contamination problem at Klity-Lang Village in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, has appeared on newspapers since April 1998. The problem has not been resolved even though it has been a target for many parties and policies to deal with. Furthermore, there have been several controversies over policies and approaches in solving the problem. The objectives of this thesis research were to study the conflicts in the problem solving process from April 1998 to August 2006, the complex pattern of relationship among several parties within public policy process, the factors affecting policy decisions, and the mechanisms to make the public policy work. This research applied qualitative methodologies including documentary research, in-depth interview and participant observation.
The result of the study showed that the policy decisions in problem solving process depended on various factors, especially political stream and power struggling of several parties involved at that time. In this case, during the time when the problem was reported by mass media, NGOs and Klity-Lang people were able to put forward their policies into the decision-making process and carry out activities, such as requests, appeals, seminars, networks, and issue presentations, in order to pressure the policy making process. On the contrary, when the problem was not in the attention of the media, decision makers would simply push forward their own policy proposals in different channels within the political stream, such as budget allocation, change of party leaders, and patronization between private and governmental sectors. Consequently, the policy making was inconsistent and did not attempt to solve the problem. Moreover, the study found that the chosen policies were not entered into force strongly and completely, which is one of the reasons why the problem has not yet been solved.
The lead contamination problem at Klity-Lang Village in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, has appeared on newspapers since April 1998. The problem has not been resolved even though it has been a target for many parties and policies to deal with. Furthermore, there have been several controversies over policies and approaches in solving the problem. The objectives of this thesis research were to study the conflicts in the problem solving process from April 1998 to August 2006, the complex pattern of relationship among several parties within public policy process, the factors affecting policy decisions, and the mechanisms to make the public policy work. This research applied qualitative methodologies including documentary research, in-depth interview and participant observation.
The result of the study showed that the policy decisions in problem solving process depended on various factors, especially political stream and power struggling of several parties involved at that time. In this case, during the time when the problem was reported by mass media, NGOs and Klity-Lang people were able to put forward their policies into the decision-making process and carry out activities, such as requests, appeals, seminars, networks, and issue presentations, in order to pressure the policy making process. On the contrary, when the problem was not in the attention of the media, decision makers would simply push forward their own policy proposals in different channels within the political stream, such as budget allocation, change of party leaders, and patronization between private and governmental sectors. Consequently, the policy making was inconsistent and did not attempt to solve the problem. Moreover, the study found that the chosen policies were not entered into force strongly and completely, which is one of the reasons why the problem has not yet been solved.