a case study of a secondary town in Lao PDR Ekvinay Sayyalath creator Perera, L.A.S. Ranjith Chairperson Zimmermann, Willi Examination Committee Sajor, Edsel E. Examination Committee Canadian International Development Agency Scholarship donor Canadian University Consortium (CIDA-CUC) Scholarship donor text series technical report th Bangkok Asian Institute of Technology 2002 continuing eng 103 leaves Decentralization provides appropriate performance of development especially administrative decentralization. It is able apply to better delivery urban services especially urban environmental infrastructure, which needs appropriate authority to respond it. Poor urban environmental infrastructure occurred from different factors. It is concerned to several conditions such as economic and social conditions. This study is to explore roles of administrative decentralization to urban environmental infrastructure. To assess potentials to establish municipal administrative authority for deal with urban services in general, for urban environmental infrastructure in specific. The study is emphasized to SWOT analysis. It is found that, in study area, it is in initiative stage, decentralization composed by both advantage and disadvantage results. However, its advantage is more than disadvantage for delivery and management of urban environmental infrastructure. Most people relied that it will bring better environment and sustainable management of urban area. However, local authority, which responds directly for urban environmental management, has been constrained due to financial and human resources are not available there. Reorganization and reallocation of responsibilities and finance are urgently needed. Moreover, political change in the country facilitates for creation of municipal government in the local area for the future. Therefore both upper and lower lines of stakeholders should contribute more participation to the local development. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 Decentralization in government Laos Urban ecology Laos Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B07594 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B07594 030523 20260817161547.0