Municipal Service Quality and Citizen Satisfaction in Southern Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of the research are two-folds: (1) to examine the quality of municipal services provided by local government in southern Thailand; and (2) to identify the most important service quality dimensions that determine citizen satisfaction. The questionnaires were distributed to 234 respondents in Tambon Khok Pho, a subdistrict of Khok Pho in Pattani Province of southern Thailand. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression were conducted to analyze the data. Results indicate that (1) the five dimensions of SERVQUAL represent a valid instrument to measure municipal service quality in Thai setting; and (2) four service quality dimensions, namely tangibility, empathy, assurance and responsiveness significantly predicted citizen satisfaction, with an adjusted R² of 0.5. The findings can be used as a guide for municipal officials to improve the crucial quality attributes and enhance citizen satisfaction.