Government Of Thailand Research Articles

Shan Female Sex Workers’ Vulnerabilities and Coping Strategies in Response to COVID-19 in Chiang Mai, Thailand

The Thailand government has marginalized, criminalized, and discriminated against migrant sex workers for decades and the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the vulnerability of sex workers to hardship. Using a mixed research methodology including interviews, this article outlines the risks Shan sex workers in northern Thailand faced during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, their vulnerability contexts, and their coping strategies, including how institutional aid and existing assets impacted their livelihoods. Our findings reveal that Shan sex workers in Thailand have suffered primarily from oppressive laws and social stigma. They were excluded from government COVID-19 mitigation measures such as health services, compensation, and economic support. Identifying vulnerability factors highlights the difficulties of both systemic and individual-level responses, leading to suggestions for policymaking to improve the quality of sex workers’ lives. This study reveals that Shan sex workers are still being left behind and discriminated against in Thailand, but they have persevered to speak their minds and struggle to live through the COVID-19 crisis. There is an urgent need for Thailand authorities to decriminalize sex work and restructure the social security system so that it is inclusive for migrants. Keywords: Shan, Sex workers, COVID-19, Vulnerability, Coping strategy, Chiang Mai.

Socio-ecological barriers to access COVID-19 vaccination among Burmese irregular migrant workers in Thailand

Thailand is a migration hub in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), with more than 3.9 million migrant workers, accounting for 10% of the country's workforce. The government of Thailand has moved from a pandemic to an endemic state of living with the SAR-CoV2 virus as a new normal since over half of the population has been vaccinated. There is, however, an estimated 1.3 million irregular migrant workers in Thailand who are not covered by Social Security Schemes (SSS) and are likely to have not been vaccinated. This study examines the socio-ecological barriers to accessing vaccination among Burmese irregular migrant workers in Thailand. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from NGO (Non-Government Organizations) workers and Burmese irregular migrants through an online survey and in-depth interviews. The study reported that over 90% of Burmese irregular migrants were unvaccinated. The main reasons for the low vaccination rate include exclusion from the vaccine distribution program, high cost of the vaccine, perceived low quality of vaccine, language barriers, lack of vaccine information, private and public discrimination against migrants, fear of being detained and deported, and difficulties in finding time and transportation to go to vaccination centres. The Thai government should employ culturally competent interpreters to disseminate vaccine information and potential side effects to encourage vaccinations in order to prevent further casualties and curb the global health crisis. Moreover, it is imperative that the Thai government provide free vaccines to all immigrants regardless of their status and amnesty from deportation and detention during the vaccination period.

Business Capabilities In Thailand’s Lower-Tier Cities: Importance-Performance Analysis

Purpose: Officially published on October 11th, 2021, Thailand government under Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) expanded the areas for MICE ((Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions Cities) cities development nationwide and took pride in its inclusive initiative in developing the lower-tier cities, regardless of the uncertain pandemic. Based on the report by TCEB Annual Report (2021), the 13 primary MICE to be developed under “MICE City Initiative'' include the tier-one, tier-two and tier-three cities. This research aims to explore Thailand’s lower tier cities’ MICE attributes (the lower tier cities under MICE development) as to underpin an informed data for all scholars, MICE professionals and government Theoretical framework: This research recommends the development of dynamic and internal capabilities over their implications on MICE and destination level attributes Design/methodology/approach: By enabling the importance-performance (IP) analysis, and with 435 volunteers from the scholars and professionals in tourism, hospitality, MICE, travel businesses, this research has been able to serve the novelty within the study of lower-tier city development and capabilities. Findings: The finding of this study highlights (i) the first underpinning of the MICE capabilities analysis from the context of Thailand’s lower-tier cities - the research area that is oftentimes overlooked and consequently lacking; (ii) the overarching exploration on MICE attributes; (iii) the responsive and in-depth informed-research for the development of the lower-cities in Thailand; (iv) the offer of fresh MICE capabilities benchmarks for other ASEAN regions. In specific, the study discovered two significant concerns in the current MICE business in Thailand’s lower-tier cities; (i) the expected service standards in MICE facilities are still underperformed; (ii) whilst, the friendliness of tourism destinations is overperformed, hence, overkilled the importance. Research, Practical & Social implications: This research would serve a wide variety of travel and tourism and MICE professionals as well as scholars. Specifically for destination management; this research would navigate clear guidance for the holistic development of lower-tier cities in Thailand, and as a benchmark for other emerging countries. Originality/value: This study takes a huge pride towards novel scholarship contribution of MICE business capabilities in the emerging economies. This research is able to further the application of previous research by J. Whitfield, et al. (2014) on MICE attributes, and the theories of dynamic and internal capabilities – while at the same time, offer benchmarks for other ASEAN’s MICE destination development.

The Evaluation of Quality Improvement Criteria of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital (Star Hospital), Surat Thani Province

Background: Thailand government has announced a policy to improve the health service system to have better quality and be more effective. Surat Thani Provincial Public Health Office has operated according to the policy of assessment and development for the quality criteria of Star sub-district health promoting hospital which has been operating since 2017. Objectives: This evaluation research aimed to evaluate the quality improvement criteria of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital (Star Hospital) in Surat Thani Province. Methods: 166 places of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital of Surat Thani have been selected by using work manual for quality improvement criteria of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital (Star Hospital) between 2019-2021. 17 directors of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital were interviewed in-depth and 68 staffs responded the questionnaire including context, input, process and outcome of an operation of Star Hospital criteria. Results: CIPP model observed that the hospital has a policy with clear guideline for development, has developed infrastructure and people have access to more services resulting in reduction of the use of outpatient services. However, there were insufficient staffs, no multidisciplinary team and budget, no MOU for working group at the district level, limited integration with partners. The level of Star Hospital criteria was high of context, input, process and product with average score of 18.6 (S.D=2.2), 34.1 (S.D=2.9), 39.3 (S.D=3.9) and 30.3 (S.D=2.9) respectively. Similarly, part of perception of self-care were high levels with 58.5% average score 13.7 (S.D=2.9, Min -Max =14-17). The satisfaction scores were high level with 95.3% average score 61.2 (S.D = 4.6, Min-Max= 38-66). Conclusion: Inputs should be provided including; personal, budget and material from network hospital for developing quality of service system and enhancing participation from all sectors including public sector, private sector, and people in the community.

Beyond vernacular and metropolitan concepts

This article explores the emergence and transformation of the concept of good governance in contemporary Thailand after the 1997 economic crisis to reveal how it morphed from a technocratic category to a moral one, central to conservative and anti-democratic discourses in the country. By reconstructing historical and contemporary debates over word coinage and translation in Thailand, this article questions the easy distinctions between “metropolitan” and “vernacular” concepts. In so doing, I propose to carve a new space for an ethnographically grounded political anthropology that neither assumes a flattened and universal conception of political categories—such as state, power, or government—nor seeks refuge into pristine “vernacular concepts” but rather explores the processes through which specific people, organizations, and institutions are constantly reworking and diffusing concepts on multiple scales while aligning, challenging, or creating “global hierarchies of value,” in the plural, along which those concepts are positioned.

Can Fiscal Recentralization Strengthen Local Government? The Case of Thailand

ABSTRACT Thailand in 2018 became the latest developing country to impose mandatory rules on its fiscal policy that included a national limit on the accumulation of public debt and direct control of local government budgets. Such fiscal recentralization is generally assumed in the literature on multi-level finance to weaken local economic, fiscal, and policy conditions. Yet a newer emphasis in this literature asserts the potential value of central governments in steering and constraining local governments through public finance. Such central steering may strengthen rather than weaken local governments via fiscal, economic, and policy conditions. In this paper, we use the emergent theory of pro-local fiscal recentralization to examine the initial evidence, as well as the emergent opportunities, for local governments in Thailand. We find grounds for optimism that fiscal recentralization will have positive effects, and identify strategies for local governments to optimize those effects. We conclude with recommendations for research and practice on fiscal recentralization in other developing country contexts.

The Great 2011 Thailand flood disaster revisited: Could it have been mitigated by different dam operations based on better weather forecasts?

This paper revisits the 2011 Great Flood in central Thailand to answer one of the hotly debated questions at the time “Could the operation decisions of the flood control structures substantially mitigate the flood impacts in the downstream areas?”. Using a numerical modeling approach, we develop a hypothesis such that the two upstream dam reservoirs: Bhumibol and Sirikit had more accurately forecasted the typhoon-triggered abnormal rainfall volumes and released more water earlier to save the storage capacity via 17 different scenarios or alternative operation schemes. We subsequently quantify the potential improvements, or reduced flood impacts in the downstream catchments, solely by changing the operation schemes of these two dam reservoirs, with all other conditions remaining unchanged. We observed that changing the operation schemes could have reduced only the flood depth while offering very limited improvements in terms of inundated areas for the lower Chao Phraya River Basin. Among 17 scenarios simulated, the inundated areas could have been reduced at most by 3.68%. This result justifies the limited role of these mega structures in the upstream during the disaster on one hand, while pointing to the necessity of handling local rainfall differently on the other. The paper expands the discussion into how the government of Thailand has drawn the lessons from the 2011 flood to better prepare themselves against the lurking flood risk in 2021, also triggered by tropical cyclones. The highlighted initiatives, both technical and institutional, could have provided important references for the large river catchment managers in Southeast Asia and with implications of our method beyond the present application region.

Entrenching Authoritarian Rule and Thailand's Foreign Policy Dilemma as a Middle Power

executive summary: This essay explores the strategies that Thailand has used to navigate the great-power competition between the U.S. and China as well as the factors that are driving contemporary Thailand's foreign policy orientation and dilemmas. main argument Recent Thai governments, whether authoritarian or democratically elected, have maintained amicable relations with Beijing while retaining close military cooperation with Washington. However, domestic political dynamics within Thailand are critical to the past and future trajectory of Thailand's bilateral relations with the U.S. and China. Bangkok's reversion toward authoritarian military rule over the past few years has created a different logic in its foreign relations. For the U.S., Thailand's authoritarian turn, although not to Washington's liking, can be tolerated as long as Thailand continues to serve U.S. strategic interests in the region. For China, cordial relations with the incumbent military government of Thailand pave the way for closer economic and political relations, yet anti-authoritarian sentiment within Thailand holds China liable and condemns China's complicity in Thailand's turn to military rule. Thus, balancing Thailand's domestic political dynamic with the foreign policy interests of the U.S. and China is the defining feature of Bangkok's maneuvering act between the two great powers. policy implications • As U.S.-China relations grow more tense, countries in Southeast Asia are feeling the squeeze from both sides. These states sense they need to prepare for choosing between the two powers while trying to delay or prevent such a choice from being necessary. • Thailand's turn toward domestic authoritarian rule creates a dilemma for both the U.S. and China. For the U.S., there is a need to tolerate an authoritarian government in Bangkok to maintain stable military and security cooperation. For China, Thailand's domestic political situation creates a backlash against Chinese interests in the country. • The current military government in Thailand is likely to prioritize its own domestic political legitimacy over relations with either power and will take advantage of the Sino-U.S. competition however best suits its own regime survival. • If Thailand reverts to a democratically elected government with popular support, healthy relationships with both China and the U.S. are more likely to result and endure.

Interactive Governance for the Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Resources in Thailand

Coastal zones are biodiverse, with complex and dynamic interconnectivity between terrestrial and marine areas, and with multiple interactions between ecological and social systems. Despite on-going efforts to conserve and protect these ecosystems, destructive extraction and unsustainable resource utilization are persistent, posing challenges for governance. Issues and concerns in coastal zones are cross-sectoral and cross-boundary, often with overlapping jurisdictions. They are considered ‘wicked’ governance problems, requiring nuanced approaches to address, rather than technical quick fixes. Interactive governance is one such approach that examines relationships within and between the ecological and social systems, as well as with the governing system. Theoretically, the governability of coastal zones depends on the inherent quality of these systems and their interactions, and improving governability needs to take place in all three orders of governance. At the ‘first order’, a better understanding of the diversity, complexity and dynamics of coastal zones, and related scale issues is required. Improving governability at the ‘second order’ involves evaluating and adjusting the existing legal and institutional frameworks to improve the performance and the correspondence with the systems they aim to govern. Finally, discussion about coastal governance needs to be elevated to ‘meta-order’ where principles are set and values derived so that hard choices can be made, for instance, between conservation and utilization of coastal resources. Guided by the interactive governance framework, the paper presents an overview of coastal governance in Thailand, summarizing key features of the natural, social and governing systems associated with coastal zones, and discussing what can be done to improve coastal governability.

Effects of COVID-19 on Travel Behavior and Mode Choice: A Case Study for the Bangkok Metropolitan Area

This research compared the primary purpose of travelling, mode choice, factors affecting mode choice, and frequency of working from home before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangkok, Thailand using statistical tests and multinomial regression modelling. The Thailand Government applied various restrictions such as limited gathering, mandatory face masks, and closure of institutes to control the pandemic’s spread. The study results show a significant difference in the purpose of primary trips, distance travelled, travel time, number of primary trips, and mode chosen for the primary trips before and during the pandemic. People shifted from working to shopping trips, public to private transport or active modes, and in-person/office work to online working during COVID-19. Male respondents showed higher chances of using public transport than female respondents and gave higher preference to pandemic-related factors for the mode selection during the pandemic. The Government should take actions based on COVID-19 measures such as mandatory face masks, contactless tickets, and sanitization disinfectant booths on every transit station to promote public transport usage. People shifted from public to active modes during the pandemic. There is a need for the improvements of the walkways and footpaths to attract people to use active modes in the future.

Understanding the Complexities of Eliminating Trans Fatty Acids: The Case of the Trans Fatty Acid Ban in Thailand.

Trans fatty acids (TFAs) have no known health benefits and are linked to an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). To eliminate TFAs from the food supply, the government of Thailand imposed a ban on partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in 2018. This study was aimed at analyzing the government policies and actions to eliminate TFAs in Thailand, focusing on policy content, context, process, and actors. This single-case qualitative study used a documentary review and interviews with 20 key policy actors. The data analysis was guided by thematic analysis based on the policy triangle framework. The results reveal that policy actors—government organizations, academics, civil society organizations, and the food industry—have different roles, interests, and influences with regard to eliminating TFAs in Thailand. Both formal and informal communication among policy actors aided in the policymaking process and the actions that followed. Changing perceptions of TFAs, the low intake of PHOs in Thailand, hype around trans fats, and trade dynamics shaped the government’s decision to impose the ban. As a result, the ban was selected to avoid the technical components of TFA elimination. This study suggests that eliminating TFAs in Thailand could be further enhanced by strengthening government actions in terms of enforcement and creating consumer awareness.

Environmental and Health Impact of Agriculture Chemicals: Paraguat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate in Thailand

Nowadays, Paraquat and Chlorpyrifos are banned in Thailand and there is a limit on the use of Glyphosate in the country by the government to control the use of these toxic chemicals. These are some of the most commonly used agricultural pesticides. Even though, the chemicals are beneficial for the plants but they are not so much for the health of the farmers and people involved in the production and execution of the chemicals. Thailand is a very progressive agricultural country and there is a huge chunk of the whole population that is related with the agricultural industry. Agriculturing provides a lot of financial benefits to the country through its import and export throughout the year. To maintain the quality of all the plants and crops, the use of chemicals has become more frequent and prominent in Thailand. Vegetables like Chinese cabbage, collards, basil leaves, red chili and cabbage respectively have a high amount of pesticide residue. Similarly, fruits like Tangerine, rose apple, guava, grape and papaya respectively also have the remains of these toxic pesticides. Using organic vegetables and fruits is highly recommended because they are safe from chemicals and pesticides. Harmful agricultural chemicals also effect human health in several ways: skin irritation, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, brain damage, negative impact on pregnant women and coma/death. In the country, 73% are aware of the effects of pesticides on human health which is a positive indicator that more people will try to control the use of these chemicals. The government of Thailand is also performing its job very effectively regarding the regulation of pesticides in the country, that is why most of the people in the country are satisfied with the laws and regularity of toxic agriculture chemicals in Thailand.

Aligning bottom-up initiatives and top-down policies? A comparative analysis of overfishing and coastal governance in Ghana, Tanzania, the Philippines, and Thailand

As coastal communities across the Global South confront the multiple challenges of climate change, overfishing, poverty and other socio-environmental pressures, there is an increasing need to understand diverse coastal governance responses and livelihood trajectories from a comparative perspective. This paper presents a holistic investigation of the pressures coastal communities face in four countries and examines possible meeting points between bottom-up initiatives and top-down policies. We compare the experiences of eight fishing areas in Ghana, Tanzania, Thailand and the Philippines and ask how small-scale fishing communities perceive overfishing and other socio-environmental pressures; what factors determine the success and failure of coastal governance initiatives; and how different initiatives can be made congruent to improve coastal, rural development outcomes. Results from an extensive survey of 835 fisherfolk and semi-structured interviews with 196 key informants show that overfishing remains a significant driver of livelihood trajectories in the communities and that fisherfolk respond through informal mechanisms of collective action. Drawing from these diverse experiences, we propose viewing coastal livelihood trajectories through the integrated dimensions of socio-environmental relationships and coastal governance options and discuss implications that address institutional scalar flexibility, illegal fishing, and persistent marginalisation.

Madhhab Negotiation, Education Transformation and Conflict Resolution in Conveying the Sermon of Tablighi Jamaat in Southeast Asia

The article aims to understand the phenomena of practicing madhhab in the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) community in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The article also investigates the madhhab negotiation between TJ members and local people where the dawah occurs in a specific context. The article also looks at changes in religious educational program developed by TJ members that tend to be informal religious education. The majority of informal religious education surrounding TJ communities is tahfiz school (memorizing the Quran). TJ members are more interested in sending their children to tahfiz school than informal school and later become Islamic priests (kyai). They are not interested to semade their children take the university level. Besides, the article also concerns exploring another role of TJ in a socio-political context where they become facilitators to overcome the Pattani Muslim conflict with the Thai government. This research was conducted for a year in 2017-2018 (March 2017-April 2018) in three countries using ethnography approach during the process of collecting data by directly involved in Tablighi Jamaat activities. The mothed of collecting data used in this research was qualitative with observative participative technique, deep interview, and documentation. The result of the research shows that Jamaah Tabligh was successful negotiating the madhhab they believe to Muslim community with different Islamic point of view. Moreover, the shifting of education orientation was emerging in TJ community, the focus was on religious exegesis without paying attention on another aspect of education for their children. Parents of TJ have pride to be called a father of a hafiz than a doctor. Another finding was Jamaah Tablig have prominent role as a reconciliatory in Pattani, South Thailand that they earned trust from Thailand Government. Amid the deadlock of reconciliation of local Muslim who want to separate from the state of Thailand with regression that created violence, bombing and arresting the activist, Jamaah tablig was there as their guarantor.

Managing employees in Thai family firms: the mutuality perspective

Managing employees in Thai family firms: the mutuality perspective

“THE MARGINAL ENEMY”: THE IMAGE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF MALAYA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE THAI STATE, 1948–1989

The Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), also known colloquially among Thais as “the Chinese Communists” or “the Chinese Communist of Malaya,” was an anti-government paramilitary group that was active during the Cold War. In the context of the Cold War, successive Thai governments saw the CPM as an opposition group, but lesser in importance than the other threats it faced, such as the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) and the separatist movements operating in the same area of operation as the CPM. At the same time, the CPM was the last communist group to disband (around 1989), despite the Thai government’s policy of amnesty, which began in 1981 under Order 66/23. This article argues that the Thai authorities viewed the CPM as a “marginal enemy” in terms of its geographical remoteness on the Thai-Malaysian border and security priority. As a result of this lower security priority, the Thai government approached the CPM as a threat that could be dealt with through negotiations and political means rather than military suppression. It was arguably this different perspective that led to the divergent strategies between the central governments of Thailand and Malaysia vis-à vis the CPM threat.

Effectiveness of community forests for forest conservation in Nan province, Thailand

ABSTRACT In 2019, government of Thailand recognized community-based forest management and gave rights to communities to manage their forests. We evaluated the effectiveness of long-established community managed forests in conserving tree cover in Nan province, Thailand. We mapped boundaries of all community managed forests patches to understand their spatial distribution and their overlap with national parks and national forests. We analysed Landsat images between 2000–2019 to map forest-cover changes. Using genetic matching, we compared the effectiveness of various management categories in conserving forests, controlling for covariates. We found that, despite high rates of deforestation in the province, community managed forests are well conserved. Moreover, forests patches in national parks and national forests are better conserved when they overlap with community managed forests. Community forests, as a bottom-up land use institution, are effective in forest conservation. They provide an extra layer of forest protection along with national forests and national parks.

Exploring Thai Distant Learning Using Satellite TV (eDLTV) and Problem-Based Learning

To solve the problems of teacher shortage and their indirect educational qualifications in the underprivileged rural schools, the Government of Thailand has issued the policy to use eDLTV media (Electronic Distance Learning TV Media) in its pedagogical system. Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University is assigned as one of the educational institutions to promote the application of such media in the Northeast of the country. Assigned by the university, and to support the mission, the researcher has conducted this study with the following objectives: 1) to develop a model of participatory eDLTV media technology transfer to promote learning at Phrapariyattidhamma Schools (PDS) by using Project-Based Learning (PBL) activities; 2) to study the results of the experiments of using the model’s manuals and tools; 3) to examine the results of acceptance and application of eDLTV media technology for the learning of PDS. The samples were 99 teachers and 956 students in this study, purposively selected from 1,435 students from 9 PDS in Sisaket Province. The instruments used were three questionnaires and manuals on participatory eDLTV media technology transfer. The results of the research showed that the model of participatory technology transfer of eDLTV is a form of participatory collaboration of 3 important agencies: RMU, PDS, and NSTDA (National Science and Technology Development Agency) as they together define roles, duties, and activities to promote learning in 3 phases. The overall teachers' opinions towards the model experiment showed the most suability of the model in use. The significance of this model relies upon after the training, 100 % of teachers were able to apply eDLTV in PBL in various subjects even though they had no experience in using eDLTV before.

Governance and strategies of gambling business in Southeast Asia

Numerous nations are worried about adolescent gambling addiction and challenges associated with gambling. Therefore, they have developed strategies to address these concerns (Dixon et al., 2016). This study aims to evaluate gambling management structures in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, and Thailand, and to compare educational-based gambling prevention strategies established in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau to find the best successful strategy for Thai students. For data collection, qualitative techniques such as document analysis and in-depth interviews were employed. The results indicate that the success of gambling management in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau is attributable to the collaboration of many sectors and the allocation of sufficient budgets. Gambling concerns are controlled completely by the government in Thailand, yet there are no government entities specifically responsible for gambling issues, creating management complications. In addition, a lack of finances may lead to poor management planning. The aforementioned three nations have achieved success in preventing gambling by employing strong national programmes and strategies. The objective of these programmes is to assist at-risk students in overcoming or preparing for addiction issues. Thailand must prioritise education on gambling, financial literacy, and collaboration of all relevant agencies to achieve success in gambling management and prevention.

Social Capital and Farmers’ Participation in Multi-Level Irrigation Governance in Thailand

Social Capital and Farmers’ Participation in Multi-Level Irrigation Governance in Thailand