The efficiency of public service delivery by government and local government units is best audited by none other than the people themselves who are the recipient of such services. The existence of a systematic framework of public participation no doubt plays an integral role in aiding the overall improvement of public services the government must provide for its people in such a way that the needs of its people can be better met and any pitfalls that inevitably accompany such large-scale operations can be corrected in a timely fashion. In addition, the process provides an ideal setting for public involvement and determination in public service delivery in a systematic and concrete manner.

            For several past decades, the standard format of public services has almost always been one-sided through centralization, with little involvement or meaningful participation by the recipients themselves. Although the government and local government units try to incorporate measures of public participation into national and community development planning and invite comments on public services, there has still been insufficient development of any auditing mechanism for public services, particularly that allowing public participation in the process. The wide gap between the system and data in this respect leads to a sorely-felt deficiency in providing public services to all segments of the population. The quality of public services delivered to the rich and the poor show a wide discrepancy and, on the whole, the government still controls most of decision-making that directly affects public services.

            In order to have equitable public services and elicit direct responses to popular needs, it becomes imperative that all segments of Thai society both in the Central Region and outlying regions must be allowed and enabled to participate in decision-making process so that policy-makers can directly respond to their needs, leading to overall improvement of public service delivery by the formal structures of government.

            Partly to help towards remedying the situation, King Prajadhipok Institute, an academic institution under the jurisdiction of the Parliament Speaker, in conjunction with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission and with support from the United Nations Development Program, launches the Project to Institute People’s Audit of Public Service Delivery by Government and Local Government Units in Thailand. Fundamental data and insights derived from the project will be utilized in the improvement of efficient and effective public services that involve satisfying levels of public participation. The project is undertaken jointly with various networks including the government sector, academic institutions, NGOs and the media.