A MODEL FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF MAYORS IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF THAILAND

Abstract The local governance system in Thailand has undergone continuous development, including reforms of local administrative organization structures and adjustments to position acquisition processes, separating administrative executives from local councils. This research aims to: 1) analyze the components of leadership among mayors in the central region of Thailand. 2) Assess the leadership level among mayors in the central region of Thailand. 3) Develop a model for the leadership development of mayors in the central region of Thailand. A mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative research was employed. The quantitative study involved a sample of 400 mayors from municipalities across the central provinces of Thailand, including city municipalities, town municipalities, and subdistrict municipalities. The sample size was determined based on 20 times the number of observed variables and selected using a multistage random sampling method. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The qualitative research involved in-depth interviews with 30 key informants, including mayors, academics specializing in local political leadership, and senior officials responsible for developing and promoting local governance. The results revealed that: 1) The leadership components of mayors in the central region of Thailand include competence, change leadership, internal community collaboration, external community engagement, and ethics. 2) Competence, change leadership, internal community collaboration, external community engagement, and ethics were rated high. Moreover, 3) A Model for Leadership Development of Mayors in the Central Region of Thailand. The LDM Model (Model of Leadership Development Mechanism for Mayors in the Central Region of Thailand) was developed by the researcher to emphasize the importance of mechanisms that encourage collaboration between mayors and citizens, partnerships with both public and private sectors, and the use of online platforms or applications to collect public feedback.