On 24 April 2023, NXPO and Thailand Future Foundation organized a seminar presenting White Paper on Promoting Social Enterprises with Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. The seminar took place at the Sukosol Hotel Bangkok and was live-streamed.
NXPO President Dr. Kitipong Promwong said in his opening remarks that to advance to the high income status, Thailand needs to work on three major issues: 1) increase income to free Thailand from the middle-income trap by raising per capita income from USD 7,449 to USD 12,500 and GDP from USD 17 trillion to USD 28 trillion, 2) reduce inequality using social mobility approach, and 3) achieve sustainability especially in term of climate change whose impacts are far and wide across the value chains, spanning from trade and investment to production and export activities. Social enterprises can contribute to the mechanism to solve these three issues through a model that combines the power of knowledge, people and government.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) has a variety of tools to support social enterprises such as business incubation programs and centers in universities throughout the country, fundings provided by the Program Management Units (PMUs), infrastructure such as maker spaces to develop prototypes and pilot plants for semi-industrial-scale production, and talent mobility program that allows university staff to work in enterprises to help overcome technical obstacles.
The seminar program consisted of presentations on results from the policy lab which investigated problems and opportunities of social enterprises and designed policy to foster social enterprises. The white paper aims to reduce barriers, ease the operation and transform social enterprises in Thailand as a strategy to improve quality of life of people in local communities. Cooperation among all sectors, including the industry, enterprises and government agencies, is necessary to drive the policy to revive the economy and improve people’s wellbeing.
The seminar also included the following presentations: “From start to social impact” by Director of the Office of Social Enterprise Promotion, “Breaking barriers: accessing finance and market for sustainable social enterprises” by a representative of Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, “Driving social impact” by NXPO executive Dr. Kanchana Wanichkorn, and “From passion to purpose: the journey of social enterprise” by Founder & Managing Director of the School of Changemakers.
White Paper on Social Enterprise is available for download at: https://www.nxpo.or.th/WhitePaper_SocialEnterprise_2023.
