The Community Leader’s Roles in Implementing Smog Problem Policy in Maeka Sub-district, Muang, Phayao in 2017

Abstract

This article investigates community leaders’ roles in and obstacles to solve smog problem in Maeka Sub-district, Muang District, Phayao Province. This research also provides solutions to these difficulties. Key informants of the study are the heads of eighteen villages in Maeka Subdistrict, two villagers of each village (36 villagers), and eight representatives of eight public organizations (Muang District Office, Maeka Sub-district Municipality Office, the Royal Forest Department, the Royal Thai Army, Phayao Provincial Office for Natural Resources and Environment, Phayao Land Development Station, Maeka Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, and the University of Phayao).

According to in-depth interviews, the community leaders solved smog problem by using wire broadcasting and conducting community meetings. Although villagers cooperated with the leaders to solve the problem,
there were some difficulties. Firstly, the leaders lacked the budget for improving wire broadcasting and allocating wages to volunteers to prevent bushfire. Secondly, the leaders could not make those who caused smog aware of effects of smog problem. Thirdly, villagers were not active enough to discuss how to solve the problem concretely. Finally, the leaders did not strictly enforce community agreements on preventing smog, because of their fear of conflict with villagers. According to solutions to these problems, the leaders should raise villagers’ awareness to collectively solve smog problem throughout the year. The government should sufficiently allocate budget to the community leaders. Moreover, to avoid conflict between
the leaders and villagers, the government should urge the leaders to enforce the law, rather than the community agreements on preventing smog.