Thailand's Policy Research Articles

Emission Inventory of On-Road Transport in Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) Development during 2007 to 2015 Using the GAINS Model

Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR), including the capital city and five adjacent provinces, constitutes one of the top 10 megacities experiencing serious traffic congestion in the world, leading to air quality problems with significant adverse human health risks. Previously, there have been many operations planned to influence the fuel consumption and emissions from the on-road transport sector in the BMR area. It is necessary to estimate emissions using detailed information in order to thoroughly understand the reason for changes in emission levels and their impact on air quality. This paper aims to determine the successful implementation of energy and air pollution control policies in Thailand through an investigation of the emissions inventory of on-road transport in BMR, including ozone precursors (CO, NOX, Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) ), greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), acidic substances (SO2 and NH3), and particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10, Black Carbon (BC), Organic Carbon (OC)) during the period from 2007 to 2015, using the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model based on the country-specific activity data together with the emission factor from the GAINS-Asia database. This study found that the amount of exhaust emissions over the BMR area in the year 2015 (and the trend during the period from 2007 to 2015) is approximately 139 kt of CO (−7.9%), 103 kt of NOX (−4.1%), 19.9 kt of NMVOC (−6.7%), 15 kt of CO2 (+1.6%), 8.6 kt of CH4 (+6.8%), 0.59 kt of N2O (+1.3%), 0.87 kt of SO2 (−25.8%), 1.1 kt of NH3 (+7.8%), 4.9 kt of PM2.5 (−5.5%), 5.1 kt of PM10 (−7.9%), 3.1 kt of BC (−2.5%), and 1.4 kt of OC (−7.7%). The change in emissions in each pollutant is a result of the more stringent control of fuel and engine standards, the shift in the fuel type used, and the effects of controlling some emissions. Light duty car gasoline fuel is identified as a major contributor of CO, NH3, N2O, and NMVOC, whereas trucks are the greatest emitters of NOX, SO2, and particulate matter. This study suggests that the most powerful implementation plan for the continuous, significant reduction of ozone precursor, SO2, and particulate matter emissions is the more stringent enforcement of fuel and vehicle standard levels, especially concerning light duty vehicles.

Sustainable energy and CO2 reduction policy in Thailand: An input–output approach from production- and consumption-based perspectives

Energy shortages and CO2 emissions reductions are critical contemporary challenges for Thailand. A consumption-based analysis provides crucial information that enables policymakers to more comprehensively understand the hidden contributors of energy demand and CO2 in the economy. The other manufacturing, construction and food and beverage sectors were amongst the five largest contributors to energy use and emissions in both 2000 and 2010, based on a consumption perspective. However, these sectors have been neglected by energy conservation and climate change mitigation policies in Thailand because they were the least energy-intensive sectors per government energy reports from 1995 to 2015. The CO2 emissions burden from exports was almost 50% of Thailand's national CO2 inventory in 2000 and 2010. The embodied CO2 emissions results revealed that Thailand could reduce its emissions inventory by 12% and 13% if embodied imports replaced exports in 2000 and 2010, respectively. Furthermore, the leading gross domestic product-generating industries in Thailand are seriously vulnerable to natural gas and crude oil shortages despite some sectors using them in small proportions in their production processes. Energy and emissions policies should better reflect consumption characteristics to increase the potential of energy-saving interventions and CO2 mitigation.

Water stress index and its implication for agricultural land-use policy in Thailand

Land-use change and expansion for agriculture significantly affect freshwater resource availability which in turn results in different levels of water scarcity and competition among users in different areas and time. The study uses the water stress index as an indicator for determining the potential impact of water use considering water deprivation potential. Considering the case of Thailand, the temporal aspects of water withdrawal and availability have been analyzed and characterized as the monthly water stress index for the 25 watersheds in the country. Wide variations of monthly water stress index are obtained; extreme water stress is observed in the areas of the Chao Phraya and Tha Chin watersheds (the central region) during the dry season because of the large areas cultivating second rice (rice planted in dry season). The target of the Thai government on agricultural land-use change and zoning toward the conversion of about 0.37 M·ha of the upland paddy fields with low productivity to sugarcane was evaluated showing serious implications on the monthly water stress index of the relevant watersheds and the water scarcity footprint potentials of rice and sugarcane production. The results reveal that proper policy can help reduce the amount of water requirement for agriculture in June, July, August and September by about 60–220 M·m3, which in turn results in the decrease in monthly water stress index values. Nevertheless, appropriate measures of water resource management for agriculture still need to be designed to avoid water competition as well as protect the ecosystem.

English language policy in Thailand

The focus of this article is on English language policy in Thailand and education policy in particular as the most obvious manifestation of official overt language policy. As such English language education policy offers a lens through which to examine current language ideologies and the connections between language policy and practices. We place English within the wider linguistic landscape of Thailand in relation to Thai and other languages and explore the monolingual and monocultural ideologies that underpin much policy in this area. However, we also suggest that recent policy reflects an increasing awareness of multilingualism. Nonetheless, Thailand along with many other countries in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) has invested considerable resources and time in English, based on an underlying ideology that views English as the language of development and globalisation. At the same time, there has been persistent dissatisfaction with the perceived results of education practices as regards English proficiency levels. We argue that much of this supposedly low level of proficiency is due to inappropriate native speaker and Anglo-centric models of English which do not reflect the growing use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) globally and particularly as the official lingua franca of ASEAN. We also note the concerns that have been raised as regards the detrimental effects on other languages and areas of education resulting from an over-emphasis on English and the inequalities that this may reinforce.

National child developmental and mental health disorders screening policy in Thailand

BackgroundDevelopmental disorders and mental health problems result in less optimal outcomes in children. Although awareness among the public had been improving, there was paucity of early identification frameworks, care pathways as well as the process of monitoring and evaluation in Thailand.ObjectiveTo develop appropriate National child mental health policy in Thailand.AimTo promote developmental and mental health outcomes of children.MethodCurrent child development and mental health research as well as policy development were reviewed. The framework of development together with major mental health disorders screening and intervention among children has been studied and established as a major policy in Thailand since 2014. The National developmental screening has been implemented in children aged 9, 18, 30 and 42 months. District level hospitals have been coached to facilitate Health promotion schools to screen and provide early intervention for grade 1 students with mental health problems. Annual data has been collected and analyzed to reflect the milestones of child development and mental health prevention-promotion policy in Thailand.ResultThe coverage of National developmental screening ranges from 70–80% of children. About 20% of preschoolers are at risk of language delay while nearly 20% of grade 1 children are at risk of emotional, behavioral and learning problems. Parental awareness is the major challenge for those with limited financial resources.ConclusionInvestments in early childhood development are needed. The pathways to develop the appropriate intervention requires further collaboration among stakeholders.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

Evaluating mobile number portability policy in the Thai mobile telecommunications market

Mobile number portability (MNP), which allows consumers to retain their mobile numbers when switching service providers, is expected to promote competition by lowering switching costs. This paper estimates switching costs and switching costs reduction from the MNP policy in Thailand using the mixed logit model with preference heterogeneity on a nationwide survey of mobile telecommunications service usages. The estimation result shows that the MNP policy reduces switching costs by 37% on average and that this benefit is heterogeneous across consumers. The considerable and persistent switching costs call for additional measures to facilitate switching.

Structural Vector Autoregressive Analysis of Monetary Policy in Thailand

Structural Vector Autoregressive Analysis of Monetary Policy in Thailand

Policy Analysis in Thailand: Comparing the Roles of Expert and Local Knowledge

This essay aims to compare the roles of different forms of knowledge in analysing public policy in Thailand. It reveals that modern policy studies in Thailand were introduced during the Cold War. “Public policy” became a subject for teaching to policy makers, with studies in this area influenced by American universities. However, the roles of local knowledge and spiritual leaders have shown themselves to still be very important. To espouse different forms of knowledge, Thailand needs to call for more collaborative leaders, policy analysts and think tanks that go beyond taking a critical attitude to policy technocrats and challenging local knowledge.

Waste-to-energy policy in Thailand

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the conversion of waste-to-energy (WtE) in Thailand. The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in Thailand in 2013 was 26.77 million tons which requires an enormous budget allocation for municipal solid waste management (MSWM). However, the budget is insufficient to provide adequate MSWM services. In order to increase the efficiency, sustainable and environmentally in MSWM, WtE technologies are provided as a solution toward a successful policy. Thailand considers WtE, incineration, refuse derived fuel (RDF), anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification, and landfill gas recovery to be renewable technologies. These technologies not only reduced the quantity but also improved the quality of waste to meet the required pollution control standards, besides generating a substantial quantity of energy.

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into inland aquaculture policies in Thailand

ABSTRACTWhile there have been many pilot projects on adaptation undertaken in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, state policies are only just beginning to address let alone refer to climate change. This study explores the climate-related content, climate sensitivities, and opportunities to incorporate climate change concerns in a set of aquaculture policies by the government of Thailand. The analysis is based on content analysis of policy documents and in-depth interviews with 14 officials that had roles in the design or implementation of 8 Department of Fisheries policies. The Aquaculture Master Plan 2011–2016 and the now abandoned Tilapia Strategy refer directly to climate variability or change. The Master Plan also suggests measures or strategies, such as investment in research, and the transfer of technologies, which would be helpful to sustainability and adaptation. Other policies suggest, or at the very least include, practices which could contribute to strengthening management of climate-related risks, for example: a registration policy included provisions for compensation; extension programme policy recognizes the importance of extreme events; and a standards policy gives guidance on site selection and water management. Most existing aquaculture policies appear to be sensitive to the impacts of climate change; for instance, the zoning policy is sensitive to spatial shifts in climate. Stakeholders had ideas on how policies could be made more robust; in the case of zoning, by periodically reviewing boundaries and adjusting them as necessary.POLICY RELEVANCEThis study is one of the first evaluations of the coverage and sensitivity of aquaculture policies to climate change. It shows that while existing policies in Thailand are beginning to refer explicitly to climate change, they do not yet include much in the way of adaptation responses, underlining the need for identifying entry points as has been done in this analysis. Further mainstreaming is one option; another possibility is to adopt a more segregated approach, at least initially, and to collect various policy ideas under a new strategic policy for the aquaculture sector as a whole.

Political Regime Dynamics and Social Security Reform: A Case Study of the Social Security Act Amendments during the Periods of Yingluck and Prayuth

According to previous studies on social security policy in Thailand, a causal link between elected governments and developments in social security has been observed in the direction that the initiation and implementation of social security policy (and perhaps all other social welfare policies) occurred more frequently and more successfully when this country was ruled by an elected government. However, this observation appears problematic when brought to bear on the most recent cases of social security reforms that have occurred, especially during the period under Yingluck Shinawatra government when the attempt to amend the 1990 Social Security Act proposed by the organized labor and 14,264 public petitioners was rejected by the directly-elected House of Representatives; and the period under Prayuth Chan-ocha government when the Social Security Act Amendments of 2015, which included many requests from organized labor mentioned in the rejected bill, was passed by the appointed National Legislative Assembly. Relying on a strategic-relational approach, this paper claims that the changes and continuities in the social security policy in each particular period did not occurred as simply a result of the different types of political regime but was part of a broader effort to deal with the tensions and conflicts between and within different sections of the bourgeoisie, political parties, state agencies, and working class over policy problems, solutions, and directions that have emerged as a result of Thailand’s capitalist transition during the past decade.

World Englishes-Based Lessons: Their Effects on Anxiety and Language Achievement of Thai Tertiary Students

Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) is prevalent among Thai learners, affecting language learning achievement. This problem has been rooted in ineffective pedagogical practice informed by native speaker (NS) ideology of English language teaching (ELT) policy in Thailand. This has made learners struggle to reach an unrealistic goal of NS norms as the only way to be proficient users of English, leading to low self-esteem and fear of speaking English. This study aims to investigate a paradigm shift in ELT as a means to reduce students’ FLCA. By incorporating World Englishes (WE) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom practice, it is believed that students will develop a more realistic goal of being efficient English users rather than struggling, and failing, to become like native English speakers. As a result, they will develop self-esteem and more confidence in using their own English, considered a crucial anxiety-buffering factor. Quasi-experimental research with 92 first-year students at one government university in Bangkok was employed over 17 weeks in one of their required English courses. FLCA questionnaires and English achievement tests were used as a pretest and posttest to find out anxiety and achievement levels, while a focus group interview yielded supplementary data. Means, SD, T-test results and content analysis were used for data analysis, showing a significant reduction in anxiety resulting from the WE-based instruction and an increase in achievement from the FLCA reduction. Therefore, this study concludes that global ELT curriculum should incorporate more WE in classroom practice as an alternative means to reduce FLCA and indirectly increase language achievement.

Pedagogical Decision Making through the Lens of Teacher Preparation Program

Pedagogical decision making is very important for professional teachers, it concerns belief, self-efficacy, and actions that teachers expose to classroom. This paper employed theoretical lens and education policy in Thailand to examine the preservice teachers’ views about pedagogical decision making. Discussion helps school mentors understand preservice teacher to pedagogical decisions during the teacher. The implications of study can be used for science teacher education to promote 21st century instruction.

World Englishes-Based Lessons: Their Effects on Anxiety and Language Achievement of Thai Tertiary Students

Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) is prevalent among Thai learners, affecting language learning achievement. This problem has been rooted in ineffective pedagogical practice informed by native speaker (NS) ideology of English language teaching (ELT) policy in Thailand. This has made learners struggle to reach an unrealistic goal of NS norms as the only way to be proficient users of English, leading to low self-esteem and fear of speaking English. This study aims to investigate a paradigm shift in ELT as a means to reduce students’ FLCA. By incorporating World Englishes (WE) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom practice, it is believed that students will develop a more realistic goal of being efficient English users rather than struggling, and failing, to become like native English speakers. As a result, they will develop self-esteem and more confidence in using their own English, considered a crucial anxiety-buffering factor. Quasi-experimental research with 92 first-year students at one government university in Bangkok was employed over 17 weeks in one of their required English courses. FLCA questionnaires and English achievement tests were used as a pretest and posttest to find out anxiety and achievement levels, while a focus group interview yielded supplementary data. Means, SD, T-test results and content analysis were used for data analysis, showing a significant reduction in anxiety resulting from the WE-based instruction and an increase in achievement from the FLCA reduction. Therefore, this study concludes that global ELT curriculum should incorporate more WE in classroom practice as an alternative means to reduce

FEATURES

A Glimpse into Healthcare Policies: How Cancer Control and Prevention Programmes Have Evolved Across Asia. Understanding Healthcare Policies in the Philippines: Cancer Care. Healthcare Systems and Health Policies in Thailand: Cancer Care. Cancer Care and Control in Taiwan: An Interview with Dr. Shu-Ti Chiou. An Interview with Professor Myint Han: Healthcare in Myanmar.

Urban environmental assessment and social impact assessment of tourism development policy: Thailand's Ayutthaya Historical Park

This research reports the results of research using an urban environmental assessment (UEA) and a social impact assessment (SIA) of tourism policies in Thailand's Ayutthaya Historical Park. The data were collected from a sample of 193 households from a total of 529 households dwelling inside a 1-km radius of the ancient city. While creating revenues for the State, the top-down approach is failing to contribute to the economic well-being of local residents. One reason is the lack of local festive activities and the prohibition of locals from active commercial participation. These deficiencies arise from a lack of leadership and cohesion in the community. To tackle these issues, policy recommendations are made at the individual, community, provincial and national levels.

The Impact of Public Transport Subsidy on Social Inclusion: The Case of Free Train Policy in Thailand

According to growing policy awareness of the relationship between transport disadvantage and social exclusion, free train policy was launched and funded by the Thai government to provide an alternative of public transportation for low-income. Then, the main objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the impact of free train policy on promoting social inclusion in Thailand. After the intercept interviews with 392 free train users, econometric model was developed to examine the impact of public transport subsidy on social inclusion. It was shown by the model that free train persuaded 32.65 percent of passengers to travel more frequently for participating more social activities. The beneficial group was the low income citizen with monthly income less than 6,518 Baht. However, 40.31 percent of free train users was not low-income, but gained unintended benefit from this policy.

Assessment of Feed-in Tariff Policy in Thailand: Impacts on National Electricity Prices

In Thailand, 67% (119,434 GWh) of primary energy resource for electricity generation relies on natural gas. Therefore, it may not be sustainable for the future, due to instability of energy resources. Thai government has launched the policy measure to motivate private sector for investment in electricity generation from renewable energy since 2007. It was called “Adder”. In 2012, the feed-in tariffs (FIT) measure has been announced by the National Energy Board in 2013 to replace adder because adder is paid on top of the retail electricity price but FIT is a fixed price. However, both adder and FIT subsidize so higher cost resulting in higher retail electricity price to customers. This study assesses impact on retail electricity price thru fuel adjustment charge (Ft) from Adder and FIT policy during 2010 to 2030 by using the alternative energy development plan (AEDP), optimization, and power development plan (PDP2010 rev.3). As a result, in 2030 in optimization case, subsidy on FIT will be about 48,873 million Baht while subsidy on adders will be about 53,416 million Baht. The FIT will increase average national electricity production cost in Ft mechanism by 0.013 Baht/kWh in 2030 while Adders will increase average national electricity production cost of 0.154 Baht/kWh in 2030. It is found that FIT scheme lowers burden of subsidy than adder scheme in both short and long terms. Therefore, if government encourages renewable power generation, the proper policy should be analyzed to balance the benefits of green electricity, investors and consumers.

Lessons from Thailand's Fiscal Policy

If rules of fiscal sustainability are observed, available fiscal space permits effective countercyclical fiscal programs. The importance of automatic fiscal stabilizers should not be underestimated. The discretionary impact of increased public spending and tax cuts can be amplified if implemented when consumer confidence investor sentiments are high. There is no evidence to support non-Keynesian effects of fiscal policy in Thailand. Unwarranted fears of unsustainable public debt and ultra-conservative fiscal policy has cost the country a lost opportunity for achieving high growth. After the military coups in 2006 and 2014, the Thai economy experienced the lowest economic growth among ASEAN countries. The budget spent on economic services was diverted into defense, increases in public sector's wages, and income transfer payments. The opportunistic political budget model predicts higher fiscal spending by incumbent democratic governments before an election to gain votes. In the case of Thailand, such spending comes after military coups, akin to a military business cycle spending.

The Roles of Governments in the Education Reform Policy in Thailand and Their Impacts 1999-2009

The Roles of Governments in the Education Reform Policy in Thailand and Their Impacts 1999-2009