How to Use the Local Administrative Organizations to Reduce Casualties from atural Disasters and to Create a Sustainable Disaster Management: The Case of Nakorn Sri Thammarat Province

摘要

Thailand suffered from heavy casualties from the flood disaster in 2011 and the general public blamed the Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs) for their inefficient management in dealing with the natural disaster. This paper intended to examine the role of LAOs in reducing the casualties from natural disasters and to create a sustainable disaster management at the local level. This paper used 16 LAOs in Nakorn Sri Thammarat province as a case study after the flood disaster in the region in 2011. The result of this study shows that the network of LAOs can both reduce casualties from natural disasters through using their accountability and local resources efficiently as well as they can create a sustainable disaster management through using various means of local supporting, mobilizing public understanding, and volunteer training during different periods of natural disaster (early warning system, during disaster and post natural disaster).