Coping with Scarcity and Urban Water Governance: Case of Udon Thani’s City Region

Abstract

This paper is a case study of the limitations to urban climate resilience of the city region of Udon Thani province in Thailand which is rapidly growing and aims to become a regional hub despite being confronted with climate-related challenges such as drought and flood. The research focuses on the formal institutional factors which are obstacles to mainstreaming climate change adaptation into urban management and thus exacerbate Udon Thani’s vulnerability to drought and flood. The research examines plans and policies of land use and water supply services at national, regional, and local levels regarding the provincial development strategy and the spatial coordination of public agencies at the same level of governance in order to examine the vertical and horizontal institutional arrangement, legal framework, policy drivers, and other limitations to the mainstreaming of climate resilience into urban development planning. Interviews were also held with relevant public officials and practitioners. The findings reveal that there are limitations caused by formal institutional arrangements and gaps which have resulted in the lack of coordination between agencies at different levels or administration or agencies operating under different ministries. There are also discrepancies of responsibility and information and financial resources which significantly undermine the efficiency of the two urban services, and, consequently, Udon Thani city region’s climate resilience and ability to accommodate spatial and socioeconomic growth.

This paper is part of the research called “Spatial and socioeconomic risk assessment of flooding in Udon Thani Nakorn Municipality and outlying municipalities and Tambon administrative organization” funded by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF).