A Study of Factors Causing Problems and Impacts on Project Management A Case Study of Large-Scale Groundwater Supply System Construction Projects by the Groundwater Resources Regional Office 2, (Suphan Buri)

Abstract

In the 2022 fiscal year, the Groundwater Resources Regional Office 2 (Suphan Buri) implemented five large-scale groundwater development projects under a royal initiative to address drought issues in Kanchanaburi Province. Given the substantial budget allocated for these projects, effective management and the mitigation of construction-related issues are critical. This study aims to analyze factors affecting construction project management using the Analytic Network Process (ANP), a methodology designed to evaluate complex, interdependent factors. The analysis focused on five primary criteria and 20 sub-criteria, including: personnel and project

management (quantity of construction labor, coordination between the employer and the contractors, experience of the  employer’s engineers or technicians in project supervision, expertise of local technicians or staff in system maintenance, readiness to take responsibility for electricity costs arising from system usage, and budgets for system maintenance at the local level); materials and machinery (efficiency of machinery, delays in equipment rental, quality of materials, and material shortages); construction methods and procedures (construction labor planning, clarity of construction designs, work time planning, and delays of the contractor in site mobilization); construction effectiveness (construction budget control, construction delays, and quality of construction outcomes); external factors (delayed site handovers, natural disasters, and project complexity). The study involved interviews with project supervisors and procurement committees to identify key issues and their impacts on the case-study projects. The ANP was employed to evaluate and prioritize the projects, identifying those with the best management practices and minimal issues. The study found that the top three factors causing problems and impacting project management are 1. Complexity of construction work, with a factor importance value of 0.670 2. Delays in construction work, with a factor importance value of 0.475 3. Efficiency of machinery used in construction, with a factor importance value of 0.417 The top three projects with the best management and the least issues are 1. Ban Nong Bua Hing, Village No. 4, Sa Long Ruea Subdistrict, Huai Krachao District, Kanchanaburi Province, with a factor importance value of 0.063 2. Ban Nong Yai, Village No. 4, Nong Pling Subdistrict, Lao Khwan District, Kanchanaburi Province, with a factor importance value of 0.042 3. Ban Lang Khao, Village No. 6, Nong Krang Subdistrict, Bo Phloi District, Kanchanaburi Province, with a factor importance value of 0.041 The findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive planning and management of influencing factors to enhance efficiency and reduce challenges in the execution of public infrastructure projects. These insights provide a framework for improving the management of similar construction projects in the future.