The Area-Based Natural Resources Governance Approach and the River Basin Committee: The Case of East Coast River Basin Committee in Thailand

Abstract

Thailand has implemented various instrumental economic policies to transition from a middle-income to a high-income country, with a strong focus on industrial development, particularly in the automotive and electronics sectors. However, these economic growth strategies are heavily dependent on extensive water resources, making effective water management crucial. Persistent challenges related to flood and drought risks continue to hinder sustainable development, as successive governments struggle to implement long-term, effective solutions. In response, Thailand has shifted from a top-down water management approach with strong sectorial administrative functions to a more decentralized area-based management model through the establishment of river basin committees across all 22 river basins. These committees are responsible for planning basin-based water resource management and allocation, as well as flood and drought management at the basin level. This study examines how the structures, mechanisms, and operational models of river basin committees influence area-based natural resource governance at the regional level. Using a case study of the East Coast River Basin Committee, the research employs document analysis and in-depth interviews to assess the committee’s role in bridging national water management policies with localized governance. Beyond its planning responsibilities, the committee also strengthens the capacity of local administrative organizations in structuring water management projects, facilitates information-sharing, and creates consultation platforms to resolve conflicts. However, applying a sustainable area-based natural resource governance framework reveals key challenges, including defining the appropriate spatial scale of stakeholder participation, translating the mutual agreements into policy implementation, and aligning diverse interests into shared goals and visions. To address these issues, this study recommends enhancing the institutional capacity of river basin committees and adopting co-creation processes with local communities to collaboratively formulate river basin management shared visions and working rules for both local scale and broader water planning practice.