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Social Policy Regarded as a Topic of Great Importance for the Thai Government |
| Source: |
thailand.prd.go.th |
| Source Date: |
Friday, January 21, 2011 |
| Focus: |
Electronic and Mobile Government, Citizen Engagement, Internet Governance
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| Country: |
Thailand |
| Created: |
Jan 25, 2011 |
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Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has stressed that social policy is a topic of great importance for his administration, which believes in a “people-centered” approach and wishes to see all sectors of society prosper in a fair and equitable economy.
The Prime Minister spoke about the vision and direction of Thailand’s social policy in his special lecture made at Vithes Samosorn, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Bangkok on January 18. Participating in this event were 300 members of the diplomatic corps and international organizations, representatives from public and private agencies and civil society, and members of the media.
In his special lecture, Prime Minister Abhisit said that the social policy focuses on three main aspects: creating opportunities and empowerment, looking at the quality of people, and providing security or welfare for them. Like many other Asian societies, he said, Thailand is about to transform into an aging society, where the proportion of elderly people as the proportion of the population is going to rise very rapidly. Currently, the country has people over 60 making up about 10 percent of its population. The Government has extended income support for groups like elderly people and the handicapped.
He stated that Thailand needed to create opportunities for the people, so one of the key policies that it quickly adopted was to make sure that the 15 years of free, basic education are truly available to everybody. The country also created opportunities for handicapped children; now they are provided with opportunities to go right through to university. The quality and standards of the Universal Healthcare Coverage Program have been improved and extended to various groups of people.
The Government has also proposed legislation to set up a National Savings Fund, which for the first time will allow people outside the social security system to receive matching contributions from the Government, if they save and contribute to this fund. They will also have some kind of security when they get old.
During the New Year period, he said, the Government launched a reform plan that aimed to address social disparities and create an equitable economy and society. The plan would provide benefits to millions of people, especially to those who have thus far not been covered by any welfare scheme.
Regarding the social dimension of foreign policy, the Government has adopted a rights-based, human security, and human development approach. As Thailand is now a member, and current President, of the United Nations Human Rights Council, it will continue to attach great priority to the rights of special groups within society, namely women, children, the disabled and the marginalized. In addressing poverty alleviation, Thailand has introduced various development projects within the framework of South-South Cooperation, and has strengthened its “health diplomacy” to increase awareness of common vulnerability from transnational health threats and natural disasters. On the humanitarian front, Thailand has long provided shelter and assistance to people in need.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that social aspects are a central part of Thailand’s national policy and social policies are being implemented in Thailand, not only at the national level, but also through local governance and through the country’s role in the international community.
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Social Policy Regarded as a Topic of Great Importance for the Thai Government Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has stressed that social policy is a topic of great importance for his administration which believes in a “people-centered” approach and wishes to see all sectors of society prosper in a fair and equitable economy
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