"Good Schools Near Home" Local Power in Healing the Wounds of Thai Educational Inequality

Abstract

This academic article to present and examine the ongoing transformation of the Good Schools Near Home project as a spatial strategy designed to address the deep-seated educational inequalities rooted in Thailand’s centralized structure. The disparity in resource accessibility between urban and rural areas has triggered an outward migration of students toward better-equipped, large-scale schools—a phenomenon highlighting how differential educational quality serves as a catalyst for widening socio-economic gaps. The study finds that the devolution of power to local authorities is the cornerstone of fostering equity through three primary mechanisms: 1) Context-based development, where decentralization ensures resource allocation meets actual local needs rather than following top-down directives; 2) Reduction of opportunity costs, as standardizing local schools alleviates the financial burden on impoverished households, directly improving the retention rates of vulnerable students; and 3) Multilateral collaboration, which integrates local administrative organizations, communities, and the private sector to build a sustainable learning ecosystem. Consequently, the 'Quality Schools Near Home' initiative transcends mere infrastructural improvement; it represents a restoration of community trust in the local education system. This policy recommendation emphasizes bolstering local administrative autonomy as a safeguard against long-term educational failure.