History of Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO)

Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO)’s system had firstly risen in 1933 by the act of the organized municipality. The status of each city council, in that moment, was the organization which acted as people’s representatives and gave committees advices. It still not being a corporate organization or departed from region administrative organization yet.

In 1938, city council had had enacted which aimed to separate city council laws from region administrative laws but almost essential parts weren’t changed its status at any rate. City council was still being a counselor only for provincial committees.

In 1952, Thai government declared Act of Administrative Organization of the State. It indicated that provincial governor has the right to rule officers, bureau, and ministry in control. This regulation turned city council into provincial governor’s counselor but the role of city council as provincial committees’ counselor; gave advices and administrated the provincial’s process of working, didn’t really work well. Then the role of city council was adapted which aimed to increase both efficiency and effectiveness in term of letting people to participate in self administrative.

Afterwards, revolutionary council law (issue 218) was declared in 29 September 1972, which related to organize the Administrative Organization of the State; city council was changed its role into Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) which would fully had more responsible.

The revolution of city council is divided into 3 periods;

1. From 1933-1955   Since city council was sat up in 1933, it indicated that local administrative organization has been developing. The role of city council, in that period of time, defined that city council wasn’t a Provincial Administrative Organization yet. It acted as one part of people’s representative, gave suggestions to city council. During that time, Act of Administrative Organization of the State which declared in 1952 pointed that each province was a region administrative organization and a province administrative authority will lead by provincial committees. The provincial governor was the counselor for provincial committees.
   
   In 1955, the next Administrative Organization of the State was launched. It pointed that provincial governor and city council had to turn its role from counselor council of provincial committee into counselor council of governor. The role of city council was as here below;
   
   1. Check and report budget provincial provided and examine provincial finance department.
   2. Allocate government subvention to each municipality within a province.
   3. Give suggestions and advices to provincial committee to;
      - Preserve peace and people’s morality.
      - Support primary and vocational educational.
      - Prevent diseases, provide medication, and establish and maintenance hospital.
      - Preserve land and water transportation.
      - Support agricultural and transportation.
      - Directly collect tax for provincial income.
      - Change the area border of village, sub-district, district and municipality.
   4. Give suggestions and advices to provincial committee which may require.
   
   
2. From 1955-1997
   The declaration of revolution council executed that Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) was one of the local administration. Therefore PAO was one of the government office; local administrative office, which had a corporation status. The roles of PAO were in criteria of preserve peace and people’s morality, support education, religion and culture preservation, develop public assistance, prevent disease, establish and maintenance hospital, and many more.

   Furthermore, PAO had the right to launch external affair practice may need. Every external affair practice PAO launched must be concerned with the activities in its criteria, especially, it must be approved by Interior Minister as well.

3. 1997-Present
   After the act of PAO in 1997 was approved by the parliament, it was announced in The Royal Government Gazette Issue 114 Part 62 Dated 31 October 2008 which started enforcing on 1 November 1997. This act mentioned about the administration of PAO which is the unit of a local administration rather than provincial administration. After consider the main reason of using the act from the act’s details and the minutes of extraordinary committees, the committee discussed in the purpose of the legislation which are;
   
   
   1. To manage administrative system in term of land management and duplicate income.
   2. To adapt as the evolution flow of local administration system.
   3. To devolve center and region administration to local administration.
   4. To reduce the administrative from central part.

City Council of PAO Structure

City Council of PAO consists of memberships who were elected from people who have the right to vote and have 4 years term for administrate. The amount of memberships in each province will not be the same up to the amount of people in a previous year’s house registration.

1. Administrative Department
   The president of PAO is Chief of Administrative Office (previously is a Provincial Governor), Vice President of PAO is an Assistant, and Deputy of PAO is a Supervisor. The Royal Decree on PAO Officer in 1998 describes the division of PAO as here;
   
   
   1. Administrative Department
   2. PAO Affair Department
   3. Planning and Budget Department
   4. Financial Department
   5. Engineering Department
   6. Others
   
   
2. City Council
   City Council consists of its Membership (previously is Membership of Provincial Council)

Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) has a responsible to administrate public service as here;

1. Provide local development plan and other development plans assign by The Interior Minister
2. Support the development of local administrative organization
3. Corporate with other local administrative organization
4. Allocate budget to local administrative organization
5. Protect, take care, and preserve forest, land, natural resource, and environment
6. Support educational system
7. Uphold democracy, equality, and liberty and rights of people
8. Support each community to participate in local development
9. Support the development of technology
10. Set up wastewater treatment system
11. Clean up waste and garbage
12. Reduce pollution and environmental problems
13. Administrate land and water transportations
14. Promote tourism
15. Support the investment and corporate investment
16. Set up and preserve land and water transportation among other local organization
17. Establish middle market
18. Uphold sports, custom, and culture in community
19. Provide Provincial Hospital, treatment, and contagious disease prevention and control
20. Establish and preserve museum and archive
21. Uphold mass communication and traffic engineering
22. Prevent and decrease public hazard
23. Set up security system
24. Promote and create activities to other local administrative organizations to work together and launch project for local organizations to work out by themselves
25. Support and assist government section and other local administration
26. Service government section, private section, state enterprises, and other local administrative organization
27. Uphold public welfare for children, women, elders, and ones who disadvantaged
28. Promote and provide projects in criteria of PAO law
29. Uphold and support other project which can enhance a better of life for people in community

The Termination of PAO Membership

Membership will be terminated if;

1. Out of 4 years term by the order of Interior Minister
2. Passed away
3. Resign to The President of PPAO (it will effective when The President of Council City or PPAO’s officers enroll) For the resignation condition, it’ll effective when due date.
4. The governor can examine and fire the membership out if he/she lost qualifications or he/she was prohibited by the election law of PAO
5. The Minister can fire the membership out if he/she directly or indirectly is an interested person for a concession commitment between PAO and other organization/private section
6. Council has a resolution that he/she has bad behaviors which can decrease organization’s reputation (counselor can fire probates out within three-fourth of all memberships)
7. People, who have the right to vote, vote membership out of its authority (if people vote all memberships out, PAO will be dissolved)