Approaches to local development planning that meet citizens’ needs: A contemporary public administration perspective

Abstract

The formulation of local development plans is a crucial process in modern public administration that emphasizes participation, responsiveness to citizens’ needs, and transparency in local policy decision-making. However, in practice, local administrative organizations (LAOs) in Thailand often face challenges such as the lack of genuine participatory mechanisms, insufficient systematic analysis of community needs, and weak integration between local, provincial, and national strategic plans. This article seeks out effective approaches for developing local plans that genuinely address the needs of citizens, drawing upon modern public administration frameworks, including New Public Management (NPM), New Public Governance (NPG), and Public Value Management (PVM). The analysis reveals that an effective local development plan should be based on a participatory governance approach that engages citizens, private sectors, and civil society throughout the entire planning process—from problem identification and goal setting to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. It also highlights the importance of using area-based data and digital local information systems to systematically analyze community needs and ensure contextual relevance to local economic, social, and environmental conditions. Moreover, the study suggests that enhancing the competencies of local officials in policy analysis, strategic leadership, and internal transparency mechanisms is essential for improving the planning process. The article concludes with a policy recommendation that local development planning should move toward co-creation of public value, empowering citizens to take an active role in shaping their communities’ future. In doing so, the local development plan becomes not merely an administrative document but a tool for fostering collaboration, trust, and sustainable local development in Thailand.