FIFTEEN Policy analysis instruction in Thailand
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Piyakorn Whangmahaporn
Abstract
This chapter examines the landscape of educational policy courses provided across recent programmes by major universities throughout the country, considering mainly the conventional perspective. It shows how public policy has been a popular subject for more than three decades in Thailand. It elaborates that most of the policy analysis education is in public administration programmes in bachelor’s and master’s degree courses. The main approaches of policy analysis instruction are either descriptive or prescriptive. Teaching public policy as an academic course can be traced back to when public administration majors and programmes in established universities started to introduce new subjects and aimed to create graduates who can work at the policy levels. Since then, public policy has become a core pedagogical element of public administration education and developed its trajectory under the shadow of public administration. For the last decade, specific standards have been issued to control the quality of the instruction of public administration with no specific attention to public policy.
Abstract
This chapter examines the landscape of educational policy courses provided across recent programmes by major universities throughout the country, considering mainly the conventional perspective. It shows how public policy has been a popular subject for more than three decades in Thailand. It elaborates that most of the policy analysis education is in public administration programmes in bachelor’s and master’s degree courses. The main approaches of policy analysis instruction are either descriptive or prescriptive. Teaching public policy as an academic course can be traced back to when public administration majors and programmes in established universities started to introduce new subjects and aimed to create graduates who can work at the policy levels. Since then, public policy has become a core pedagogical element of public administration education and developed its trajectory under the shadow of public administration. For the last decade, specific standards have been issued to control the quality of the instruction of public administration with no specific attention to public policy.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Notes on contributors xii
- Editors’ introduction to the series xiv
- Introduction 1
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History, styles and methods of policy analysis in Thailand
- History and styles of policy analysis in Thailand 11
- Methods of policy analysis in Thailand: bureaucratic, managerial, academic and participatory orientations 28
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Policy analysis within executive government
- Policy analysis in central government 49
- Policy analysis in Thai local governments 67
- Collaboration, networks and policy analysis in Thailand 88
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Policy analysis beyond executive government
- Monarchy and Thai meta-policy: the early years of Rama X’s reign 107
- The role of the Thai military in policy analysis: unpacking three faces of the military in the non-military policy domain 137
- Parliamentary committees, legislative supporting agencies and policy advice 155
- The role of expert policy advisory boards, consultants and think tanks in policy analysis 170
- Political movements as expression of public opinion for agenda setting in Thailand 186
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Political parties and interest groups in policy analysis
- Political parties and policy analysis 203
- Business associations and policy analysis 219
- The role of the community sector and civil society in policy analysis 230
- The influence of Thailand’s social movements on policy analysis 248
-
Policy analysis education and research
- Policy analysis instruction in Thailand 273
- Non-traditional policy studies in Thailand 286
- Policy research in academic institutions 303
- Transition and prospects of Thai policy analysis 320
- Index 337
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures and tables vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Notes on contributors xii
- Editors’ introduction to the series xiv
- Introduction 1
-
History, styles and methods of policy analysis in Thailand
- History and styles of policy analysis in Thailand 11
- Methods of policy analysis in Thailand: bureaucratic, managerial, academic and participatory orientations 28
-
Policy analysis within executive government
- Policy analysis in central government 49
- Policy analysis in Thai local governments 67
- Collaboration, networks and policy analysis in Thailand 88
-
Policy analysis beyond executive government
- Monarchy and Thai meta-policy: the early years of Rama X’s reign 107
- The role of the Thai military in policy analysis: unpacking three faces of the military in the non-military policy domain 137
- Parliamentary committees, legislative supporting agencies and policy advice 155
- The role of expert policy advisory boards, consultants and think tanks in policy analysis 170
- Political movements as expression of public opinion for agenda setting in Thailand 186
-
Political parties and interest groups in policy analysis
- Political parties and policy analysis 203
- Business associations and policy analysis 219
- The role of the community sector and civil society in policy analysis 230
- The influence of Thailand’s social movements on policy analysis 248
-
Policy analysis education and research
- Policy analysis instruction in Thailand 273
- Non-traditional policy studies in Thailand 286
- Policy research in academic institutions 303
- Transition and prospects of Thai policy analysis 320
- Index 337
