Jintana Chuasomboon. The visions of municipal administrators towards the healthy cities project of Ratchaburi province . Master's Degree(Environmental Education). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2003.
The visions of municipal administrators towards the healthy cities project of Ratchaburi province
Abstract:
This research attempted to study the visions of municipal administrators
towards the healthy cities project, by taking Ratchaburi province as a case for study.
The target municipal administrators included the Mayor, Municipal Councilor, Clerk
of the Municipality and Director of the Healthy Cities Project. In this study, three
aspects of the healthy cities projects including (1.) the aesthetic and quality of life
aspects, (2.) the efficient urban economy aspects, and (3.) the political promotion and
commitment.
In conducting of the study, 23 municipalities with 85 administrators (86.8
percent) were selected as representatives for study. Self-administered questionnaires
were developed and employed to collect the required data from 85 respondents, while
in depth-interview questionnaires were used to interview 8 high level-executives of
municipalities in Ratchaburi province.
Analysis of data showed that the studied administrators possessed quite
appropriated visions towards the healthy city projects. Their scores of visions were in
moderate level. This indicated that the overall points of view among the
administrators were not quite complete and proper, when consider against the World
Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and strategies of the healthy cities project
management. The majority of the administrators had visions that Ratchaburi province
should firstly complete their infra-structure within the next few years or by the year
2005. Some level of public participation in the city project would be in better
condition, health and education for all would be reached by that time, and the
sufficient economic system will be achieved as well. However, these were at present,
at least two short-comings, which were the constraints of the operations, namely a lack
of good public co-operation, and the lack of knowledge among the public concerns. In
addition, the local political conflicts were among the public concerns. In addition, the
local political conflicts were still one of the major obstacles to Ratchaburi province
healthy city project achieving its goals.
However, further statistical analysis revealed that, there were no statistically
significant differences between the administrator’s visions and the variables, including
the administrator education attainment, the knowledge and awareness of the health
cities problems, and have to solve them the reception of information, and ever
going abroad or to workshop / training / seminar, or having ever visited the healthy
cities project before.
This study confirmed the needs to re-orientate the municipal administrators, in
order to broaden their visions, knowledge and skills in the healthy cities projects
management. The public relations and campaign should also be continually launched
in order to promote public participation among the local residents and authorities. This
would eventually leads to sustainable urban development of Ratchaburi province