The College of Local Administration Workshop, ‘Collaborative Action for Khon Kaen’s Urban Flooding,’ Integrates Policy Data and On-the-Ground Conditions, Uniting Stakeholders to Establish a Participatory Provincial Master Plan.
On 18 February 2026, the College of Local Administration (COLA), Khon Kaen University, hosted the inaugural workshop titled “Collaborative Action to Solve Khon Kaen’s Urban Flooding.” Held at COLA, the event aimed to serve as a central platform for linking policy data sets with on-the-ground realities. It also sought to integrate cooperation from all sectors to formulate a sustainable water management strategy.
The workshop brought together experts and representatives from a wide range of organisations, including academic institutions, provincial agencies, local administrative organisations, and civil society. Participants collaborated to analyse the current flood situation and propose systematic policy solutions.
The network of participating bodies comprised the College of Local Administration (COLA); the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA); King Prajadhipok’s Institute; the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University; Khon Kaen Highway District 1; the Khon Kaen Provincial Office of Public Works and Town & Country Planning; Regional Irrigation Office 6; the Khon Kaen Provincial Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; Khon Kaen Municipality; Sila Municipality; Ban Ped Municipality; Phra Lap Sub-district Municipality; Mueang Kao Sub-district Municipality; the Khon Kaen Provincial Health Assembly; the Khon Kaen Volunteer Network; and the Water and Quality of Life Foundation.
Discussions during the forum yielded key insights summarised at three levels:
1. Micro Level (Local Area): An exchange of reports from four key municipalities (Khon Kaen, Sila, Ban Ped, and Phra Lap) revealed distinct physical challenges and water management limitations corresponding to their geographical conditions.
2. Macro Level (Management): Key responsible agencies, such as the Department of Highways and the Royal Irrigation Department, presented an overview of the province’s infrastructure and water flow patterns.
3. Strategic Level: Policy recommendations from distinguished experts emphasised using data-driven approaches to formulate effective pilot solutions.
The meeting established five key collaborative action points:
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Promoting Local Wisdom and Grassroots Participation: Focusing on leveraging knowledge from civil society and households for community-level water management.
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Advancing an Integrated Strategy: Utilising the Provincial Integrated Management Committee (PIMC) to elevate water management to a primary agenda for both the provincial and Provincial Administrative Organisation levels.
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Developing Joint Action Proposals: Collaboratively creating action-oriented project proposals through future workshops among network partners.
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Reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Revisiting the existing MOU among the five key municipalities to include greater participation from civil society.
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Creating a Participatory Master Plan: Formulating a comprehensive Master Plan for urban flood management in Khon Kaen that involves all relevant sectors.
A follow-up meeting has been scheduled for 30 April 2026 to evaluate progress and drive the implementation of the agreed-upon approaches.
This initiative highlights the College of Local Administration’s role as a “neutral academic space” that bridges knowledge and practice. It aligns with COLA’s vision to become a leading institution for public affairs in the ASEAN region, supporting sustainable urban development through multi-sectoral collaboration.
