Page 71 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

on corporate social responsibility (CSR). (Population and Community Development Association,
2024)

Box 2.1: Role Model – Meechai Viravaidya

Meechai Viravaidya is a widely respected figure in Thailand’s public service sector, famously
associated with the “Meechai condom.” Born to a family of physicians, he was educated at prestigious
schools and universities in Australia. Yet, he dedicated his life to working closely with the poor and
underprivileged. As the founder and leader of the Population and Community Development
Association (PDA), Meechai gained international recognition, receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award
for Public Service in 1994, the Bill and Melinda Gates Award, and over 20 other international honors.
Over the past five decades, he and his team have raised more than 12.5 billion baht to support
development in Thailand.

Raised in a family that ran a clinic providing free treatment for the poor, Meechai was imbued with a
strong sense of public service from a young age. Upon returning from his undergraduate studies in
Australia, he was approached by an oil company but declined the offer after his mother remarked, “If
someone like you works just for money, then who will help the poor?” Inspired by this, he joined the
National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) as a civil servant. After seven years,
believing he could contribute more independently, he and his colleagues left government service to
found a nonprofit organization focused on rural development, what would later become the PDA.
A visionary from early on, Meechai understood that “development work requires funding, and relying
solely on donations is unsustainable.” Initially, he received support and contraceptives from the
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) for five years. When funding ended, IPPF
continued to supply birth control pills and condoms for another 15 years. These supplies were then
distributed through a community-based model that both generated revenue and expanded access.
Meechai trained over 320,000 teachers and volunteers to disseminate knowledge across 24 districts.
This program became the prototype for the Community-Based Contraceptive Distribution model,
setting a precedent for Thailand’s village-based public health volunteers (VHVs). Condoms were sold
at one-fourth of the market price and were never given away for free; villagers could earn them
through good deeds, emphasizing dignity and responsibility.

Meechai often said, “To do good for society, one must first be self-reliant.” He believed that
foundations and associations alone were outdated, and that social enterprises must play a supporting
role, without giving handouts to those unwilling to help themselves. He secured a loan of $62,000
(around 1.2 million baht) from the International Pregnancy Advisory Service (IPAS) to open a clinic
and restaurant. This later evolved into the Population and Development Company. Meechai also used
family-donated land in Pattaya to launch social businesses such as the restaurant Cabbages and
Condoms (C&C) and the Birds and Bees Resort with 54 rooms. These ventures expanded to several
provinces and now total over 30 social enterprise projects. Before COVID-19, these enterprises
generated about 70% of PDA’s funding needs, reducing reliance on donations. Profits were also used
to support educational causes.

Meechai consistently credits his success to a strong, committed team: “All the awards I’ve received
are thanks to our team. It would be impossible for me to achieve any of this alone. I just happen to
be the one standing in front, accepting the awards on their behalf.”

Source: Based on interview

38