Page 73 - Social Enterprise A New Business Paradigm for Thailand

Promotion Act, which was then submitted to legislative drafters (Matichon, 2019). This process
ultimately led to the enactment of the Social Enterprise Promotion Act, B.E. 2562 (2019), followed

by the official establishment of the Office of Social Enterprise Promotion (OSEP).

As of B.E. 2568 (2025), a total of 345 social enterprises have been formally registered under Thai
law (Office of Social Enterprise Promotion, 2568). Among the earliest registered entities were the
Pracharath Rak Samakkee companies, formed in various provinces as a formal collaboration
between the public and private sectors to engage in social business. This initiative led to the
establishment of social enterprises in every province nationwide (see further details in Chapter
7).

Over the years, religious organizations in Thailand have continued to play a central role in
advancing public-mindedness, though the forms of engagement have evolved in line with

economic and social development. This is reflected in the emergence of several prominent
“development monks” in the past, such as (1) Khruba Sriwichai, a volunteer leader who mobilized
donations and labor from devoted followers to restore temples, historical sites, and roads in
various areas; (2) Luang Pho Khun of Wat Ban Rai, who donated significant sums to build schools
and hospitals; (3) Luang Pho Viriyang Sirintharo, who played a vital role in social development,
particularly in education, public welfare, and community empowerment. His contributions
continue to benefit society to this day and include funding the construction of a new building for

the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) in Nakhon Ratchasima Province as
a higher education institution for development administration, founding the Wat
Yannawaesakawan Child Welfare Foundation to care for orphans, and establishing the Prateep
Dek Thai (Thai Children’s Lantern) Early Childhood Development Center to assist underprivileged
children. Part of the funding for these public-benefit initiatives came from donations raised for
the construction of the world’s largest jade Buddha statue, after which members of the public
could rent small jade Buddha images and other sacred items created by the temple for veneration
(Churee Vijitwattakan, 1996); and (4) Phra Phayom of Wat Suan Kaew.

When the internet became widely available in Thailand, both the middle class and grassroots
communities increasingly engaged in civil society, forming what might be called a “grassroots civic
community.” Localized group formation began to emerge, along with interlinked networks, such
as the Civil Society Network for Urban Governance in Chiang Mai. This network originated from
groups of social and volunteer development workers in the North who carried out a wide range
of social activities, including teaching villagers about sustainable agriculture, community forests,
traditional Thai medicine, Lanna wisdom schools, and alternative education models adapted to
local knowledge and ethnic diversity. These efforts also led to the integration of online technology
with home-based healthcare services for terminally ill patients, for example, the Yuen Yen
initiative (Box 2.2).

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