Integrating agenda setting and co-production: Governing smart environments in Chachoengsao, Thailand

Abstract

This research article analyzed the policy agenda setting and co-production of the smart environment in Chachoengsao Smart City, Thailand. The study applied a qualitative case study design, including semi-structured interviews with key informants from government, private, academic, and community sectors, as well as document analysis. Utilizing Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework, the study found that rapid urbanization, environmental issues, strategic national policies, and political concerns brought attention to the policy agenda, creating a window of opportunity for smart environment initiatives through a top-down policymaking approach. This study also employed Loeffler’s Four Co’s Model to identify co-production activities. These were examined as bottom-up policy formulation efforts through co-commissioning, co-design, co-delivery, and co-assessment. The results demonstrated full co-production in which several stakeholders, including government, private, academic, and community representatives, strengthened their participatory governance and enhanced policy responsiveness for the smart environment. The process led to the implementation of the Zero Waste Initiative and Big Data for Environmental Monitoring, which enhanced community engagement, enabled data-informed decisions, and improved the effectiveness of environmental service delivery. Therefore, this article provides an understanding of collaborative governance and suggests that co-production serves as a strategic mechanism for achieving sustainable urban development. To encourage more open and adaptive governance in Thailand, further research should examine the possibility of applying co-production to other areas of the policy-making process.