The distinction of this earlier, seminal era of decentralisation is that the Ninth National Economic and Social
Development Plan not only placed importance on public participation, but such involvement was also endorsed in the
Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2540 (1997), of which Chapter V—Directive Principles of Fundamental
State Policies (AsianLII 2007) states:
“Section 76. The State shall promote and encourage public participation in laying down policies,
making decision on political issues, preparing economic, social and political development plans,
and inspecting the exercise of State power at all levels.”
The objectives related to the aforementioned research question are: 1) to conduct preliminary field work in order
to define the research procedures, 2) to discover the prevalent discourse of Thai villagers, 3) to discover the prevalent
discourse of Thai officials; and 4) to compare discourse practices of Thai villagers and officials, with this culminating in
a discussion of possible barriers and opportunities to improve mutual understanding.
METHODOLOGY
This chapter addresses the methodology developed, and used, to guide and carry out the research presented in
this thesis. There are two parts to the chapter: The first is to set out the research methodology; the second is to describe
the research constructed within these theoretical parameters.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is at the heart of this research. It provides the rationale for the thinking that is described in
Chapters Two and Three. It is the plan for undertaking the activities of data collection and analysis, the results of which
are recorded in Chapter Five, which follows. The design of this study was guided by the following quotation:
The purpose of the research design is to provide the logical sequence that connects the field data to the study’s initial
research question and ultimately its conclusion. This means that the rationale for the research must follow a plausible
pattern and the sequencing must do the same. The key word here is ‘connect’. Each part of the study connects the other
part to the research question. (Whiteley 2002, p.3).
The design of this research is presented in three parts:
1. Figure 1 illustrates the sequence of events which were planned and executed to carry out the research.
2. It describes the sequence of planned activities following the literature review in detail.
3. The third part critically appraises the research design commenting on difficulties and opportunities which
emerged in practice.