Cultural Heritage Management in Thailand: The Perspective from Regulation, Implementation, and Impediment Under Public-Private Partnership and Civil Society Participation

Following the new public management concept, public-private partnership has been instituted in the realm of public administration, transitioning the emphasis from primarily the public sector as the principal actor to encompass the private sector’s role in delivering public services. To enhance service inclusion, civil society has been incorporated as an additional social element to bolster public administration. This study aims to elucidate cultural heritage management in Thailand, focusing on regulations and action, including impediments through the public-private partnerships concept and the civil society concept. The qualitative approach included in-depth interviews and focus groups for data collection. The research revealed the absence of clear regulations or policies regarding public-private partnerships in cultural heritage management. The pertinent agency resolves this issue by instituting a novel methodology and implementing it in management by providing a Terms of Reference (TOR) and a consolidated framework of statutes, including the Cultural Heritage Act and the Public-Private Partnership Act. To enhance cultural heritage management, it is essential to implement clear, new regulations and integrate the public, private, and other sectors in management through a public-private partnership approach. Implementing the project using this strategy is essential for focusing on the benefits for investors, conservation efforts, and public engagement thereby preventing conflict and fostering understanding among all stakeholders. The public sector can no longer prioritize its interests above those of other sectors. The project contract provisions require modification and extension beyond 30 years. Although civil society is not explicitly mentioned in the laws, regulations, or policies of the cultural heritage management project, it plays a significant role during the implementation stage by participating in decision- making, empowerment, reflecting needs, negotiating, and promoting the concept of ownership, which helps reduce or solve various problems and promotes project sustainability.