A Comparative Analysis of Contemporary Public Management Concepts in Thailand

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to explore the competing concepts and perspectives in modern Public Management literatures including: New Public Management (NPM), New Public Governance (NPG) and New Public Service (NPS) and to compare the viability of these concepts toward public sectors of Thailand. The method of study relies mostly on documentary research on influential academic writings from well-known Public Administration theorists. This article explores these modern PA concepts in terms of rationale, assumptions, discursive aspects, evolution and development, strengths and limitations, applicability and so on.The result of the study shows dimensional comparison between various contemporary public management perspectives, including NPM, NPG and NPS in their theoretical backgrounds, perspectives and solutions on public governance in Thailand. Based on the results of the study, to properly adopt these competing modern Public Management concepts, Thailand should pursue a “hybrid” style of public management consisting of all elements from those three modern PA perspectives namely, NPM, NPG and NPS, plus Thai national value of moral and professionalism. The key to the sustainability of Thailand is to retain traditional value that is proven to be relevant and supportive of the responsive and participating form of public governance and to keep up with the postmodernist characteristics of the 21st century.