Measuring readiness for sustainable transformation: an application of integral theory in the suburbs of Bangkok

This paper presents the results of a pilot study into the readiness of a local community to engage in an environmental transformation process. It uses elements of Sufficiency Economy and Integral Theory to explore to what extent a suburban Bangkok community is ready to adopt biological wastewater treatment as a way to reduce its environmental footprint. The larger aim is to gain an understanding of the conditions that must be met in order to successfully promote biological wastewater treatment in the wider society. The community’s ‘integral’ readiness is measured by looking at the four dimensions that, according to Integral Theory, represent reality, namely: consciousness, behaviour, culture, and the social system and environment. Multiple methods were used, including a survey, interviews and focus group meetings. The findings point at the existence of a high level of integral readiness for future participation in transformation processes in the community. The study also reveals that it is the project developer and not the (local) government, who plays the main role in fostering such readiness. A lesson learnt therefore, is that the effectiveness of the Thai government’s environmental policy can be increased by directing incentives to private developers rather than to local governments.