Open Development Thailand

Essential Information on Covid-19 in Thailand

Under a Ministry of Public Health’s announcement, all hospitals, public and private, must do their best to treat COVID-19 patients (all who live within the Thai territory, irrespective of nationality) without delay until they are out of immediate danger or transferred to other hospitals based on their coverage.

Visit the data dashboard

COVID-19 Impact on Thai Labor Market

Unemployment is a looming concern. According to NSO’s data, the unemployment rate has increased to 2 percent in Q2 of 2020. This is more than three times Thailand’s jobless rate for the last decade, which hovered around 0.6%. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) estimated that 8.4 million jobs would be at risk from the COVID-19 outbreak in Q2 and Q3 of 2020, in addition to the six million farmers already impacted by drought. Thailand’s key sectors have been especially hit.

Keep reading…

Image: Motorbike taxi in Thailand by ibeeckmans | CC Search under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Dashboard: COVID-19 and Thai Labor Market

Some major findings from Labor Force Survey data of Thailand National Statistics Office (NSO) showed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted on jobs.

During the Q1 and Q2 of 2020, the virus impact was accelerating around the world. With the country put under lockdown from mid-March till June 2020, the COVID-19 impact on workers showed a significant change in the Q2.

View the full dashboard >>

Data Literacy Training

Thailand’s civil society representatives completed East-West Management Institute’s (EWMI) data literacy training program from February to June 2020. This training in Thailand was tailored for participants from the forestry sector to advocate for improved forest governance. They included representatives from Baan Non Toom Thaworn Community Forest, Self-organized Land Reform Network, Citizen Forest Network, Chiang Mai Community Organisation Council, Raks Thai Foundation, RECOFTC Thailand, and Western Community Radio Network.

All participants were sponsored by the Voices for Mekong Forests (V4MF) project, a five-year initiative funded by the EU. Read the full story.

Participants were very supportive of each other during the training. (This photo was taken during the first phase in February 2020.)

Pandemics / COVID-19

Thailand was the first country outside of China to have confirmed a patient with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection on 13 January 2020. On March 1, 2020, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) designated COVID-19 as a dangerous communicable disease under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). An emergency in all areas of the Kingdom of Thailand was declared by the Thai Prime Minister on March 20, 2020, pursuant to the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in emergency situations. The emergency period was originally to last until April 30, 2020, until further announcement of relax measures.

Forest Policy and Admistration

Thailand’s forests are governed under a system of laws and policies that has evolved over the past few decades to place a greater emphasis on conservation and sustainable management. Though challenges of implementation, participation, and community usage rights persist, governance can be considered a positive factor in Thai forest health.

Forests and Forestry

In 2018, forest products accounted for roughly 118 billion Thai Baht (3.9 billion USD) in exports—or about 1.2% of all exported goods and services. That figure does not include either the value of domestic consumption of forest products or the ecosystem services forests provide.

Forest covers in the Mekong region 2000-2015

Thai consumer confidence at 25-month high in Dec as tourism recovers

12 January 2023

Thai consumer confidence rose for a seventh straight month in December, reaching a 25-month high, boosted by improved economic activity and higher foreign tourist arrivals, a survey showed on Thursday.The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce rose to 49.7 in ...

Thai central bank expects virtual banks to start operations in 2025

12 January 2023

Thailand’s central bank expects virtual banks to begin operating in the second quarter of 2025, it said in a statement on Thursday.The Bank of Thailand said it plans to propose giving licences to three operators for virtual banks, but may open this up for additional ...

Signs of economic slowdown alarming

12 January 2023

The Thai government, businesses, and citizens are cherishing the news of returning Chinese tourists with the first group of 286 passengers who arrived on Monday. The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that 5 million Chinese tourists will visit our country this year, bringing with them ...

Thailand ups effort to classify economic activities based on environment impact

11 January 2023

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) says it is accelerating issuance of standards to classify economic activities based on their environmental impact, to help the country cope with climate change.The so-called Thailand Taxonomy standards will aid green financing as companies transition to the government’s BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) ...

 The Nation Reporter

Thailand considering diesel tax cut extension despite easing fuel crisis

11 January 2023

The Finance Ministry is considering whether to extend the excise tax cut of 5 baht per litre of diesel, which is due to expire on January 20. The tax cut was originally imposed last year to suppress soaring pump prices during the fuel crisis, which ...

Asia Pacific ahead of the curve in using data, AI, analytics in healthcare: Philips report

11 January 2023

Healthcare leaders throughout the Asia Pacific (Apac) region are looking to data and predictive technologies as the foundations of their future healthcare systems, the Philips Future Health Index (FHI) 2022 report revealed.The report outlined data and staffing challenges for healthcare in Apac, as the region’s ...

 The Nation Reporter

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ASEAN Cybersecurity Skilling Programme

10 December 2022

ASEAN Cybersecurity Skilling Programe is an on-demand training, developed by ASEAN FOUNDATION. It aims to provide essential knowledge in the digital era and inspire people to grow in the career path that is in high demand. Free application via LineOA On-demand sessions are open till ...

APSA 2022: Reimagining Development Futures in the Anthropocene and Climate Crisis

27 October 2022

Date: Oct. 28-29, 2022, 09:00 – 17:00 ICTVenue: Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandType: Hybrid A two-day academic and civic dialogue event brings together multiple disciplinary academics and researchers, international and national civil society and non-governmental organizations, practitioners and local community groups to discuss multidimensional development amid global ...

Commoning water(s): resources, services and ecological justice in Asia

23 October 2022

Inclusive and just water security is widely recognized as principal challenge in the era of the Anthropocene. Water insecurity affects the livelihoods of both rural and urban populations in Southeast Asia, and the wider the Global South.This public event brings together academics and practitioners working ...

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Open Development Thailand publishes a dashboard on “Essential Information on COVID-19 in Thailand."

16 December 2020

Open Development Thailand (ODT) recently published a dashboard on “Essential Information on COVID-19 in Thailand,” which collects useful information on the nationwide measures, capacity of health services and medical workforces, hotline contact, educational videos, and infection cases over time. Access to the page>> ...

Open Development Thailand publishes new pages on COVID-19 Impact on Thai Labor Market and its Dashboard

12 October 2020

Open Development Thailand (ODT) recently published a new topic page on “COVID-19 Impact on Thai Labour Market,” which shows that the lockdown measure and other COVID-19 measures significantly affected jobs and workers in Q2/2020. The data dashboard will provide you insights to understand vulnerable informal ...

Open Development Thailand publishes a new topic page on "COVID-19 in Thailand"

21 May 2020

Open Development Thailand (ODT) recently published a new topic page on “COVID-19 in Thailand,” which shows the impacts from and measures of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. Like other countries, the COVID-19 has economic, social and environmental impacts. You will learn the key measures implemented ...

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