The Value of Assessing and Measuring Governance Performance Lessons from The Access Initiative

TAI Pilot Test in Thailand

Overview Duration months (5 June - 25 December 2001) Multi-party research team - 11 meetings Review panel - high-level representatives from relevant organizations Case studies Dissemination of the indicators and study findings

Research Team Dr. Somrudee Nicro, TEI Prof. Vanchai Vatanasapt, KPI Dr. Thawilwadee Bureekul, KPI Dr. Chatchom Akapin, Office of the Attorney General Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, NGO-COD Ms. Sophia Buranakul, Independent Expert Nathan Badenoch, WRI

Review Panel Secretary-General, Council of State Secretary-General, Office of Environmental Policy and Planning President, Federation of Thai Industries Secretary-General, Association for Civil Liberty Director, Safety and Environment Division, PTT Public Co. President, Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute Foundation President, Thailand Environment Institute Advisor to Association of Environmental Journalists

Case Studies Access to environmental information => Cobalt 60 => Acrylonitrile Truck Accident => Ambient air and drinking water => SOE report => 5 industrial facilities in Samutprakarn Province

Case studies (cont.) Participation in decision-making => Hin Krud coal fired power plant => Klong Dan wastewater treatment plant => Siam industrial land

Dissemination Dissemination conference: 25 Dec Publication Website:

Value and Importance of Conducting National Assessment

Rationales for Thailand 1997 Thai Constitution endorses participatory approaches Tracking of public participation during the transition period in Thailand

Rationales for Thailand (cont.) Educational tool for public awareness raising Capacity building tool for interest groups and the public to play a monitoring role Thailand’s implementation of Principle 10 of Rio Declaration

Impacts Knowledge and understanding: - Members of the Research Team - Other related parties - The general public => Preventing/reducing the intensity of rising environmental conflicts

Impacts (cont.) Behavior change: - The aware public => Supporting and accelerating a change in the behavior of the concerned parties to ensure informed public participation in decision-making at the policy level

Impacts (cont.) Improvement of related laws/regulations: - Amendment of the Environmental Act => EIA - Drafting of the Public Hearing Act

Next Steps

2nd National Assessment - Regular monitoring - Fund-raising for the 2nd National Assessment Research paper on PRTR