Page 218 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

schools. In addition, ThaiHealth has partnered with OSEP and other stakeholders to jointly
develop an operational framework for the incubation and support of social enterprises and
social entrepreneur networks dedicated to advancing public health and quality of life. This joint

framework consists of seven stages: 1) scouting and screening, 2) awareness-building, 3)
incubation, 4) registration, 5) training and consulting, 6) market linkage, and 7) ecosystem
development and incentive provision (see Figure 7.2).

National Innovation Agency (Public Organization)

The National Innovation Agency (NIA) has played a key role in supporting and incubating social
enterprises since 2019. One of its primary goals is to promote social innovation by applying new
ideas or knowledge to improve quality of life in communities and the environment, with the
aim of generating sustainable, positive social outcomes and addressing inequality in a tangible
way. Each year, the agency allocates between 80 and 100 million baht to support grants for

innovation projects in urban and community settings. Its programs also promote the
establishment of social innovation villages, the development of collaborative networks, and the
assessment of social impact based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These
include environmental conservation, education, health, food security, employment, social
welfare, public health, tourism, and disaster management. To date, NIA has supported 1,035
social innovation projects and incubated 5,991 social enterprises. These efforts have generated
a combined investment of 1.747 billion baht and an estimated annual social impact valued at

600 million baht, reaching 206,307 beneficiaries across 13 provinces. The agency’s operational
process begins by identifying key issues in communities and cities to develop thematic areas for
social research. It then calls for submissions of suitable technological innovations or scalable
solutions that demonstrate readiness for expansion, whether in terms of concepts,
technologies, social opportunities, or enterprise models, for consideration and further
development within target communities. Selected applicants may receive annual funding
ranging from 300,000 to 1.5 million baht, provided they first complete a business incubation
program before implementation. Examples of supported innovations include increasing income
for the elderly in the Non-Non community through fermented sauce production, a tactile

drawing kit for blind children developed by Klongdinso Co., Ltd., plasma technology to improve
the durability of natural dyes, an autonomous wheelchair developed for the Phitsanulok
Disabled Association, a loom for weaving leather scraps designed for blind artisans by Wandevi
Craft Co., Ltd., and blue swimming crab ice cream produced by the Ko Si Chang Community-
Based Tourism Social Enterprise.

184