Thailand Country Report The ASEAN Regional Conference on

Thailand Country Report “The ASEAN Regional Conference on Sharing of Good Practices in Social Protection for Women in Enterprise Development” December 4 – 5, 2014, Manila, Philippines

Outline Social Protection & legal mandates SMEs and Women Empowerment Fund Si Sa Ket province: based social protection Challenges & Lessons Learned

Thailand Population: 65. 98 Million Female: 33. 63 Million (50. 9 %) Male: 32. 35 Million (49. 1 % ) Sex Ratio: 96. 2 males : 100 females (As of December 2010) SMEs in 2013 Total entrepreneurs: 2. 84 Million SMEs: 2. 75 Million ( 97. 16 % of total entrepreneurs) Small Entrepreneurs: 2. 73 Million (97. 70 % of SMEs) Medium entrepreneurs: 13, 247 (0. 47 % of SMEs) Source: The Office of Small and Medium Entrepreneur Promotion (OMEP)

Social protection’s definition Social Protection Floor (CEB): ● An integrated set of social policies designed to guarantee income security and access to social services for all, paying particular attention to vulnerable groups, and protecting and empowering people across the life cycle. ● It includes guarantees of basic income security, in the form of various social transfers (in cash or in kind).

Social protection: a priority for equity and growth • A fundamental means to mitigate social inequalities • The establishment of the National Commission on Social Welfare, chaired by the Prime Minister • A strategy to develop a universal, coherent social protection system by 2017 called the “Welfare Society” • The vision of the 11 th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012 -16) is to build “A happy society with equity, fairness and resilience” • The Policy Statement of the Council of Ministers delivered by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to the National Assembly on 12 September 2014 on social protection. • The UN system in Thailand established a team in March 2010

The legal framework on social protection Civil servants ▪ Government officials’ pension system ▪ Government Pension Fund (GPF) ▪ Civil Servants’ Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS Private sector employees ▪ Workmen’s Compensation Fund (WCF) ▪ Social Security Fund (SSF) Section 33 and 39 ▪ Provident funds ▪ Private School Teachers’ Welfare Fund (PSTWF) Informal economy workers ▪ Social Security Fund (SSF) ▪ Section 40 (informal sector) ▪ Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) ▪ Universal Non-contributory Allowance for People with HIV/ AIDS ▪ National Savings Fund (NSF) ▪ Compulsory Migrant Health Insurance (CMHI) All children ▪ Education for all (until 15 th year of education)

Additional social welfare programs Types of direct and indirect benefits to the people: ● School meals, milk of schools nationwide ● Community welfare funds ● Farmers’ debt and price guarantees for agricultural products ● Allocations to poor, homeless, people who have experienced violence, and other vulnerable groups, urgent social welfare assistance ● Provides funeral grants to survivors ● Other financial assistance from different funds, such as the child protection fund, the old age fund, the fund to promote and develop the quality of life of people with disabilities, and the human trafficking fund ● Free electricity fewer than 50 units per month, and free transportation on non-air conditioned buses and third class trains ● In fact, female and male in Thailand shall be protected equally.

Thailand SMEs. Policies of the current government on SMEs ● To strengthen capacity and competitiveness of SMEs. ● To systematize, unify the structure of supporting and driving mechanisms for SMEs for access to financial resources, financial services, etc. Strategies in the Women’s Development Plan under the 11 th National Social and Economic Development Plan (2012 – 2016) ● To develop women’s capacity and opportunity by providing an equal opportunities among women and men to access resources. ● To promote women’s participation in the economy. Grant Thornton’s research in 2011 Thai women hold 45% of executive position, while there are 30% of women CEOs. Overcoming Thailand's Regional Economic Challenges. International Affairs review, 2012 SMEs, comprising 78% of employment, 43% of non-agricultural GDP and 30% of exporters Master. Card Worldwide (2010) Women-owned SMEs in Thailand contributed approximately 38% of the national GDP and that their businesses had an annual growth-rate of 2. 25% compared to 0. 31% among SMEs owned by men

Thailand SMEs. (Con) The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2007 Social and cultural mores in Thailand have long encouraged and supported female participation in the workforce. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2011 Women have played major roles as owner, executives and employees in the enterprises The 2012 Adult Population Survey and the 2012 GEM survey ● Thailand’s total early-stage entrepreneurs rate was 18. 9% and established business ownership rate was 29. 7% of the sample. Thailand’s established business ownership of nearly 30% was among the highest of the participating countries in the 2012 GEM survey, but also was No. 1 within the Asia-Pacific & South Asia region. The Department of Industrial Promotion’s statistics ● 49% of new entrepreneurs in the year 2008 -2009, and 46% are women. Thus, their access to markets is quite important. Challenges of Thai women’s entrepreneurs ● Women still face a wide range of barriers to starting, sustaining and growing their businesses. While women technically have the same legal rights as men, married women need their husbands’ consent for critical legal transactions, including bank loans. ● In 2010, just only 33% of total SMEs can access to finance from commercial bank. Thus, Women Empowerment Fund is the new option for Thai women entrepreneur.

Women Empowerment Fund (WEF)

Women Empowerment Fund (WEF) • established in 2012, • applies financial strategies to maximize improvements in women capacity. • provide financial support in the form of loans to women group that are launching or growing an income generating activities, and subsidizes for women development projects. Vision • To empower women to be the crucial force for country’s development Missions • To provide low interest loans for women investment • To provide funds for women’s capacity building and networking to concern women’s issue • To provide funds for promoting and supporting activities that solve women problems

Northeast 43 12% % 31% central 18% Member 9. 8 million BKK 2% West Member profile 5% 69% East 14% Non member Individual 9. 7303 million organizations South 127 14% Aged 25% 19% 15% 6% 40 -49 20 -29 30 -39 50 -59 60 up 15 -19 Mean = 44 years old Occupation Farmer 32 % Labor 30 % none 20% Education primary school 54% secondary school 15% high school 14% 61% have income less than 5, 000 ฿ 166)us$ (/month

Financial scheme Revolving fund Gov’t annual budget 5, 800 ฿m. + ฿ 75 m. /year Capital of WEF Revenue (Interest from loan ) ~ ฿ 150 million/year Fund raising activities # Project Grant 17009, Loan 68, 882 Grant 1, 450 ฿ million # fund # members 917. 7 ฿m. 1, 437, 510 5, 732. 8 ฿m. 740, 297 Admin cost ~300 ฿ million /year

Strategy , Target and Outcome • Women at every aged have potential and leadership 140, 000 women have higher leadership 4. 40 from 5 (point) of Fund evaluation with 13 indicator • Committee at every level have managerial capacity • Fund is sustainable • Women have job and income Women Leadership Development Women’s Income generating Promotion Fund performance Development Women’s Quality of life Improvement 1. 5 m. women got 5, 732 m. loan to invest and earn 5000 ฿ /person/month 3 m. women have better quality of life • Women have good quality of life

Reserve local wisdom Increase Solve community concerns warm hearted family tight-knit family Enhance women’ leadership Social effect Invest new technology Increase productivity Decrease illegal debt

Women’s unemployment are reduced Women become change agents of their community. Social impact from WEF to Thai society Women have better improvements in human right, dignity and opportunity. Gender disparity problems are reduced The belief that women can do are disseminated

Social protection project Project: “Communication between Parents and Children & stop Teenage Mothers” Location: Si Sa Ket province, north-eastern region Granted by: The WEF’s Committees of Si Sa Ket Province Objectives: To create an open family in which parents and children discuss the social issues, become aware of the problems teenagers and encourage family and school play a big role in providing sexual education and a safe environment and build network concerning teenage mothers among local administrations and community organizations. ● Conducted in 2012 – 2014: spread out every district of Si Sa Ket province, with 190 training courses and 28, 500 participants ● Granted to run: 10 million Baht (about 60, 000 baht per three day course) ● Expectation: To decrease the high case of teenage pregnancies and enhance the network concerning social problems’ solution ● Targets: Youth, parent, related agencies such as government, private and civil sectors

Gap and challenges Lessons Learned

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