Ex-post Evaluation Framework of Transportation Infrastructure Projects in Thailand Applying the OECD-DAC's Evaluation Criteria

Abstract

Ex-post evaluations are conducted only on rare occasions despite their significant potential for utility. Such evaluations ascertain whether projects have fulfilled the anticipated benefits at the outset and discern which projects have outperformed or underperformed expectations, along with the underlying reasons. This paper describes the methodological framework chosen for the ex-post evaluation of completed transportation infrastructure projects. A comprehensive framework assessing the effects of a transport project across six dimensions: Relevance, Coherence, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact, and Sustainability has been formulated and elaborated as part of an ex-post evaluation methodology. This framework encompasses a classification of impacts associated with investment projects in the transportation sector. Then, the framework for the ex-post evaluation was applied to evaluate the case studies of seven highway projects executed by the Department of Highway, Ministry of Transport, Thailand. The ex-post evaluation results for these case studies found that seven projects were ranked at a very good level. The criteria of efficiency were the aspect with the highest score from the evaluation results, as four projects out of 7 had a total score of 4.00, reflecting the performance of the Department of Highways in using available resources in terms of time and budget efficiently in project development. The criteria of relevance and coherence, as the implementation of the Department of Highways project development, has been consistent with the national development plan, ministry level, and department level and linked to other essential development plans of the country. Meanwhile, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability were criteria with different scores for each project.