Page 25 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

can be done by better utilizing the large national disability fund, which currently has
low annual disbursement rates, despite many people with disabilities still awaiting

support.

2. Role of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)

Fostering a social entrepreneurial mindset runs counter to prevailing global norms and must
therefore begin early in life. This calls for long-term incubation by strong, well-funded social
organizations with consistent operations. Given ThaiHealth’s foundational role in promoting
social enterprises, it is recommended that it undertake the following initiatives:

1) Promote social enterprise incubation at the school level
ThaiHealth may consider initiating social enterprise development in schools to instill a social

entrepreneurship mindset from a young age. This incubation should be carried out in
partnership with social enterprises or educational organizations that can cultivate youth-led
social entrepreneurs through:

• Business project-based learning, or
• Community-focused research initiatives in health and well-being

Example project themes include:

• Providing massage and physiotherapy services to the elderly, using a Robin Hood model,
offering free services to low-income seniors funded by fees from wealthier clients

• Developing simple applications, or repurposing existing social media apps, to monitor
the health of vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, pregnant women, and
homebound or bedridden seniors, alongside services like music-based guided exercise
routines

Further examples of school- or community-based social enterprise initiatives include:

• School and community waste management projects
• Projects to test water quality and provide safe drinking water in schools and local

communities
• Safe and chemical-free vegetable growing initiatives
• These types of projects not only foster local health and well-being but also help build
entrepreneurial and civic responsibility in students. By embedding social enterprise
thinking into real-world activities, ThaiHealth can help nurture a generation of socially
conscious entrepreneurs from the ground up.

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