A Review of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP): An Approach to Water Resource Management in Thailand

Abstract

The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is an approach for decision making with complex problems that can be applied in water resources management. This paper reviews the literature on application of AHP in water resource management from 2009-2013 in 46 peer reviewed journal articles, analyzes the strengths and limitations of the technique using SWOT analysis, and then focuses on its utility when integrated with other methods for water resource management in Thailand. The findings indicate that AHP can be utilized for all types of water resource management focused on criteria concerning social, economic and environmental factors. Furthermore, the efficacy of AHP can be enhanced when integrated with other techniques. Application of AHP in Thailand could be combined with the Delphi technique to identify key criteria for resolving bias problems regarding goal and criteria