Environmental concerns of the Office of Accelerated Rural Development, Thailand

Abstract

Since 1965, the Office of Accelerated Rural Development (ARD) in Thailand has been assigned by the Government to construct infrastructures (such as roads and reservoirs) for rural people. These infrastructure constructions were at the expense of some environmental damage. Without the environmental assessments, more damage could have taken place. Up until 1993, ARD did not have any unit which had a direct responsibility for environmental issues. The Natural Resource and Environmental Development Section (NRED Section) was established in 1993 as a result of government policy and the growing global concern for world environment issues. The establishment of the NRED Section gave the impression that environmental concerns were being addressed by ARD.

Based on informal interviews, results of this research indicate that no real concerns for the environment had in fact been incorporated into ARD's functions. The personnel appointed to work in the NRED Section were selected from ARD's existing personnel. They do not have an environmental educational background. Their tasks are assigned to them by their superiors. Most of these assigned tasks are nothing more than attending meetings on Royal Initiative Projects. Although some of the agreements from these meetings were related to environmental management, ARD could not obtain funding to work in compliance with the agreements. It appears that the only concerns for the environment held by the NRED Section were the outcomes of some meetings. However, ARD could not fulfill these outcomes.

Further investigations into the job descriptions of NRED personnel showed that the content of the job descriptions reflected that environmental concerns should be addressed. There seems to be an intent to incorporate environmental concerns into ARD's functions. Interviews with several personnel revealed that the job descriptions are not known to all the personnel in charge; two operative staff, the Head of the Section, the Chief of the Subdivision, and the Director of the Division. It is considered that this is the main reason for the NRED Section not undertaking the intended jobs, and not being able to incorporate environmental concerns into ARD's functions.

Interviews with ARD's engineers confirmed that ARD had given much attention to environmental issues and this is reflected in its motto. However, the awareness of and concerns for the environment depend very much upon individual engineers. This research suggests that to strengthen the environmental concern functions of ARD: job descriptions for the NRED Section should be made known to all personnel; the NRED Section should take responsibility as the center for an ARD environmental database; personnel appointed to the NRED Section should be qualified in environmental management; learning from successful environmental related agencies should be encouraged; technical assistance should be obtained from countries with environmental management experience; training courses should emphasise environmental awareness and concerns; engineers should liaise within the NRED Section and ensure that there is coordination with respect to environmental data; engineers should contribute to ARD's environmental concerns; ARD should have an environmental management mandate.