Note that, in this research, we focus specifically on the leadership of city mayors in forging the collaborations, not on the civil servants. This is because in Thailand local authorities are all governed by the mayor-council form, as required by the National Constitution and the Decentralization Law of 1999. City mayors are popularly, directly elected from local electorates and responsible for the overall direction of the operations of city governments, as discussed above. This was principally to enhance the leadership of city mayors in handling local agendas. Put another way, a strong mayor form of government makes the city mayor the key decision maker who dictates rules, decisions, and strategies (Avellaneda, forthcoming).