This study has sought to provide answers to one basic question: What are the major factors currently affecting industrial hazardous waste policy implementation in central Thailand? To answer the above question, this research focused on two issues: 1) identification of the factors which determine effective policy enforcement, and 2) identification of the factors which influence effective policy compliance.

Drawing upon various sources of scientific literature, a conceptual model of industrial hazardous waste policy implementation was gradually constructed. In this conceptual model, effective policy enforcement and compliance is determined by implementing agency capacity and the industrial sector's willingness to comply with policy. In turn, implementing agency capacity is influenced by six major factors: 1) government policy commitment and continuity, 2) policy standards and objectives, 3) policy resources, 4) implementing agency incentives, 5) coordination among implementing agencies, and 6) external supports. The industrial sector's willingness to comply is influenced by four major factors: 1) its environmental awareness, 2) its environmental conservation incentives, 3) its environmental conservation expenses, and 4) its external supports.

These hypotheses were then tested using both quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques. In the quantitative study, one set of questionnaires was mailed to 150 government officials in the Department of Industrial Works and the Pollution Control Department, while a second set of questionnaires was distributed to 500 Type 3 (i.e. industry with the potential to generate hazardous waste) industry owners and managers in Thailand central region. By the end of the survey period approximately 75 percent of the public sector questionnaires and approximately 25 percent of the private sector questionnaires had been answered and returned.

The findings from the above inquiry resulted in the development of a new policy enforcement model that describes implementing agency capacity with far greater accuracy than the original hypothesis referred to above. Indeed, implementing agency capacity itself was found to be affected by five major factors: 1) government policy, 2) leadership, 3) technical ability, 4) implementing agency incentives, and 5) public concern about hazardous waste management. Meanwhile, policy compliance was found to be greatly influenced by the industrial sector's willingness to comply which itself is largely determined by its: 1) environmental awareness, 2) environmental conservation expenses, and 3) environmental conservation incentives.

The nature of policy enforcement and compliance were also investigated. Policy enforcement was found to be limited by many factors, the major limitations being: 1) the lack of a specific ‘hazardous waste’ public policy, 2) the generally low policy implementation capacity of the government agencies involved, 3) the shortage of qualified policy implementors, 4) the inadequacy of compliance incentives, and 5) the relatively low level of environmental awareness on the part of industry owners and managers. Similarly, four major factors were found to be largely responsible for the occurrence of policy compliance problems: 1) a lack of environmental awareness on the part of industry personnel, 2) a shortage of relevant information on hazardous waste management and policy, 3) insufficient government incentives, and 4) the real or perceived costs of proper waste management according to industry owners and managers.

Finally, this public policy study not only summarizes the major research findings but also proposes causal feedback models of policy enforcement and policy compliance derived from quantitative analysis, in-depth interviews, and participant observations as well as making some recommendations with regard to public policy implications, management options, and possible directions for further research.