Page 70 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

1974, which focused on rural development with an emphasis on family planning. Initial funding
came almost entirely from international organizations, foreign governments, and international

foundations.

During this time, the Thai government also introduced its own notable welfare initiatives, most
prominently the Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) program. This initiative mobilized a new
generation of volunteers from both the middle and grassroots classes and was built upon earlier
PDA volunteer efforts. Overall, the shift from individual-led initiatives to institutional programs
during this era marked a significant expansion of civil society in Thailand, spreading from elite and
middle-class circles to the broader middle class (Population and Community Development
Association, 2024).

1. The Seedling Stage of Civil Society (1982–1992):

This period marked Thailand’s transition from an agricultural society to an export-oriented
industrial economy. Development began to reach provincial and rural areas, fostering what might
be called the “seedling stage of civil society,” a period during which a spirit of volunteerism and
grassroots activism took root, particularly among the younger generation. Following the events
of Black May in 1992, a new social ideology emerged, driven by youth movements that used music
as a medium to voice the struggles of the working class. Young idealists, together with the legacy
of volunteer programs initiated by Puey Ungphakorn, helped catalyze a new generation of social

volunteers. One of the notable initiatives during this time was the Social Service Volunteer Project
(KOS), which later evolved into the Volunteers for Society Foundation. This period also saw the
beginning of social impact funding, aimed at addressing the root causes of structural inequality
rather than simply offering charitable relief for the underprivileged. These developments
eventually laid the groundwork for the rise of social enterprises in Thailand.

2. The Era of Private Sector Engagement (1992–2007):
In the early 1990s, Thailand experienced exceptionally high economic growth, recording double-
digit expansion for three consecutive years. The country was widely expected to become the fifth

Asian tiger. However, after 1997, international development funding began to decline, prompting
government agencies and domestic private-sector actors to take on a more prominent role. This
marked the beginning of a new era in which private businesses started to actively contribute to
rural development. A pioneering figure in this movement was Meechai Viravaidya, widely
recognized as a social enterprise trailblazer in Thailand (see Box 2.1). One notable initiative was
the TBIRD social enterprise program led by the Population and Community Development
Association (PDA), which received support from the Ford Foundation for three years. The program
was subsequently continued by German Agro Action (GAA) and PTT Exploration and Production
Public Company Limited (PTTEP) until 2003. The Ministry of Industry also collaborated with the
PDA through 2014. These sustained efforts eventually gave rise to a broader movement centered

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