TY  - JOUR
T1  - Empirical and Normative Considerations of the Role of Local Government in the
Protection of Elderly Legal Rights: Lessons Learned from Thailand
AU - Ariyachaipradit, Amonrat AU - Nimnoo, Noppadon AU - Boossabong, Piyapong 
JO  - The Social Sciences
VL  - 13
IS  - 1
SP  - 223
EP  - 234
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1818-5800
DO  - sscience.2018.223.234
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=sscience.2018.223.234
KW  - Local government
KW  -elderly care policy
KW  -ageing society
KW  -interpretive policy analysis
KW  -community
KW  -interpretive
AB  - This essay analyses the role of local government in the protection of the legal rights of the elderly
in the case of a city in Thailand namely Maha Sarakham by adopting interpretive approaches in advancing
quantitative analysis. This essay found that Maha Sarakham City Municipality initiated local policies based
on the interpretation of legal rights in equality and on an individual basis. Evaluation of such policies from both
empirical and normative perspectives reveals gaps between the policie’s scope and the elderly’s real life
experiences. The elderly did not always appear vulnerable as many of them still played an active role within their
family and community. Policies based on individual rights did not fit well with the social value that elderly care
should be a part of family-care. To interpret rights on the basis of equality also shaped one-size-fits-all policies
for a pluralist society. This essay argues that the co-existence of different policy discourse coalitions identify
and possibly bridge the gaps.
ER  -