The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as an Approach to Social Innovation: Case Studies of Local Governments in Thailand

Abstract

The late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (1946–2016) formulated the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP). “Sufficiency” means balancing reasonable moderation in production against the need for protection from sudden internal and external shocks. SEP follows the “Middle Path” as a guiding principle for all classes of society and government. Knowledge, thoughtfulness, prudence, and ethical integrity are essential to achieve the Middle Path. The paper explores the use of SEP as a method of social innovation for enhancing delivery of public services and for localizing the process of sustainable development. Such innovative use of SEP is illustrated by three exploratory case studies of local government in Thailand. The first case shows how a local administration built a program to produce renewable energy (household cooking gas) from pig farm waste while earning revenue from carbon credits. The second case involves a local administration setting up a community welfare fund to reduce the inequality of people who had not received a basic income. Finally, the third case is about a local administration encouraging residents to build their own recycling project rather than waiting for top-down government action. All three local governments have mayors with significant entrepreneurial abilities, useful in teaching entrepreneurial action to residents, government staff, and other local leaders. Together, these cases show the potential of SEP as a method of bottom-up social action for sustainable development.