Network governance and the contemporary opium problem in northern Thailand

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the current approach that the Thai Government has employed to manage "wicked problems," using the case of opium in northern Thailand, and analyzing how the network governance approach can contribute to sustainable upland community development. Design/methodology/approach A case study was employed for this research. The data collection was based upon a qualitative research approach, namely in-depth interviews, participatory observation and document research, were all conducted. Findings The study found that the strategy of the Thai Government to manage the opium problem in the upland periphery has changed over time. The recent approach could be illustrated as a form of network governance albeit solely within the governmental realm, which was found to be different from the network governance stratagem currently defined in the dominant literature. This paper suggests that in order to achieve a sustainable solution for upland community development, the mode of network governance should shift toward self-governing networks. In other words, non-state stakeholders should be actively engaged in the network and empowered to manage their problems for sustainable upland community development. Originality/value This paper contributes to the current corpus of network governance literature by introducing an empirical case study from Thailand. In terms of policy implication, this paper provides policy suggestions for governments, especially in Asia, who are actively seeking to resolve "wicked problems" and achieving sustainable community development.