location: nan, 'Thailand 
year: 2008 source: HSRI 
title: Policy recommendation for strategic execution of national strategic plan for development of Folklore, Thai Traditional, and alternative medicine specified for health system development strategy 
abstract:The National Strategic Plan for Development of Folklore, Thai Traditional, and Alternative Medicine B.E. 2550-2554 has been approved from the cabinet since June 12th, 2550. It was expected to be utilized as a strategy execution tool to boost up the development of folklore, Thai traditional and alternative medicine in Thailand. However the performance evaluation by means of document review and in-dept interview of executives of agencies concerned reveals failure of the national plan as there are scarcely implementation of the plan as strategic direction of program, plan, project development and resource allocation.  
The drafting committee of the National Strategic Plan has tried its best to develop the plan through active participatory process. However most of the executives of the agencies concerned still perceived the image of the plan as developed by only some representatives of the agencies and did not reflect full commitment, consensus and support from the organization. The National Plan has just provided very broad guideline strategies without specific additional budget allocation and integration tool for the program-plan-project among the agencies concerned. So most of the agencies concerned implement their projects and activities according to their own priorities and neglected the National Strategic Plan. The strategy execution unit is identified as a very crucial missing part of the National Strategic Plan.
To revitalize the National Strategic Plan to be executed as an effective and efficient management tool for development of the folklore, traditional and alternative medicine in Thailand, there are major policy interventions and a draft of integrated project proposal to request for additional budget details as follow:
1	Promote active participation of agencies concerned through actions and  execution of the National Strategic Plan
2	Established Strategic Execution Unit and define strategy champion or major stakeholder for each project-program-strategy
3	Develop essential strategic execution databases and decision support system
4	Support additional budget for integrated approach project and apply project management system
The draft integrated project proposals for additional budget request for health care and health system development to promote folklore, traditional and alternative medicine in Thailand could be developed according to the 4 major strategic issues as 
1.	Development of databases and strategic execution support system 
2.	Strengthening of popular and community health system
3.	Integration of folklore, traditional and alternative medicine to national health system
4.	Development of service standard
There are 10 proposed integrated projects, implement within 3 years period (2552-2554 B.E.), and the total budget requested is 1,390 million baht.
The main products and expected results of the proposed integrated projects are summarized as follow:
1	Establish 4 model Thai traditional medicine hospitals in each region and 150 model Thai traditional medicine clinics nationwide.
2	Research and development of 90 standardized Thai traditional medicine services.
3	Promote technology transfer and logistic development and support of 120 Thai traditional hospitals and 720 Thai traditional clinics.
4	Develop and strengthening folklore healer network in 4 regions nationwide through knowledge sharing and promote usage of 120 folklore services in community.
5	Develop and strengthening network of village health volunteer to support sufficiency health and folklore medicine in 4 regions nationwide through knowledge sharing and promote usage of 120 folklore services in community.
6	Develop and strengthening network of health professionals, providers, healers, entrepreneurs, patients, consumers and academia to review and promote usage of 172 selected items of folklore, traditional, and alternative medicine services and products. 
7	Develop and strengthening network of social marketing professionals, health professionals, providers, healers, entrepreneurs, patients, consumers and academia to review and promote usage of 172 selected items of folklore, traditional, and alternative medicine services and products through medias. 
8	Research on unit cost of folklore, traditional, and alternative medicine services and use to determine reference price for reimbursement.
9	Develop essential strategic execution databases and decision support system for development of folklore, traditional, and alternative medicine services.
This proposed integrated project package need to be further scrutinized by the National Strategic Plan steering committee and the agencies concerned to get fully commitment and support through active participation. The National Strategic Plan could become an effective and efficient management tool for development of folklore, traditional and alternative medicine in Thailand and benefit to the health and quality of life of Thai population as an ultimate goal.