A feasibility study funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was undertaken by Challenger Geomatics Ltd. of Canada, SEATEC Group of Thailand and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) in 2003/2004 to examine how the Local Administrative Units (LAUs) could be supported and empowered in order to improve/increase their roles and capacities in  adopting administrative and information systems to effectively manage their jurisdictions and natural resources, utilities, land use, land registration, taxation, socio-economic and various other functions of the units.

This Land Information Systems(LIS) study, comprising of several reports, made recommendations for the implementation of this project in the integrated sectors of Geographical Information Systems, Property Mapping and Assessment, Data Conversion and Links to Online Information, Business Model, Training Assessment, Legal and Administrative framework, Environmental Assessment, Social Gender Assessment, System Integration Plan, Financing Plan, Implementation Plan, Stakeholder Consultations.

The key recommendation of the study is that the Government of Thailand needs to empower the LAUs with access to information and  to fund the establishment of a series of regional geo-informatics centers (GICs) with their functions to provide the LAUs with digital mapping, access/storage of geo-spatial data, conversion and updating of data, distribution of data, project management, project design and planning, procedures & manuals, hardware and software and training to set up Land Information systems.

The mandate and operation of regional GIC will ensure the full interchange of data between organizations (both contributors and end-users) and would develop the needed standards, interchange formats, training programs, etc., with the cooperation of all organizations. Data producers would retain responsibility for the integrity and maintenance of their databases, but would have access to all available data and information from other organizations which will reduce their overall operating costs and eliminate duplication across Government. 

The LAUs will see the following benefits when LIS is implemented: access to information, accurate databases in digital format, easily updated and maintained, all start-up costs paid by GOT, transparency in all property related transactions, improved finance and credit systems, expanded and equitable delivery of services to the residents, enhanced effectiveness, responsibility and accountability of LAUs, enhanced environmental management practices and pollution control systems, Improved disaster preparedness such as flooding, response and recovery through mitigation, strategic planning, and awareness. 

Other important benefits that should be emphasized are the capacity building of the LAUs and some of the Challenges the LAUs are facing in the management of natural resources, utilities, land use, land registration, taxation and various other functions of the units. Implementation of this project will build the capacities of the LAUs to a degree that they will become autonomous, and will also achieve the Thai government’s mandate to build e-government.

 

SEATEC has provided to the project the Legal and Administrative expert to develop a plan for putting into place the legal framework necessary to allow GISTDA to provide a data and geometrics service to LAUs. This process includes meetings, discussions and negotiations with stakeholders and various government agencies including GISTDA, Department of Lands (DOL), Department of Local Administration (DOLA), Department of Provincial Administration Promotion, LAUs, and Regional Universities. Through series of meetings and discussions, and data gatherings the Legal and Administrative expert provides a fact findings report and information on situation analyses and a sector study report covering the following aspects:

•Administrative functions, hierarchy and jurisdictions of the data providers and data users and government agencies

•Administrative and Financial status of different categories of LAUs including their management structure, capacity, and funding management

•Study on process of the flow of funding from central government down to LAUs

• Study and verification if any of the LAUs collect taxes and duties and how is this revenue handled

•Study the future role of the central government in light of decentralization

•Study and recommendation for any legal framework and process to allow GISTDA to work with DOLA and LAUs and to allow the government funding to be channeled to GISTDA and to LAUs.