รัฐบาลไทย-ข่าวทำเนียบรัฐบาล-Cabinet acknowledges NESDC’s social outlook report for Q1/2023
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 22 มิถุนายน 2566
22/06/2566
Cabinet acknowledges NESDC’s social outlook report for Q1/2023
Cabinet acknowledges NESDC’s social outlook report for Q1/2023
June 20, 2023, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government
Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri disclosed that the cabinet acknowledged Office of National
Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC)’s report on Thailand’s social outlook in the
1 st quarter of 2023.
According to the report:
1. The labor situation in Thailand has shown remarkable improvement, as the number of
people employed reached 39.6 million, a 2.4% increase compared to the same period in
the previous year, thanks to employment expansion in both the agricultural and non-
agricultural sectors. The unemployment rate, at 1.05%, has reverted to normal levels,
accompanied by a noticeable rise in overtime work and higher wages. Overall wages
increased by 0.4%, whereas wages in the private sector increased by 1.9%
2. Household debt in Thailand during the 4 th quarter of 2022, amounted to 15.09 trillion
baht, reflecting a slower growth rate of 3.5% compared to the previous quarter&#39;s 4.0%.
The household debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 86.9%.
3. The incidence of illnesses under surveillance increased by 124.5% due to the rise in
cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease, particularly among children under the age of 5.
On the other hand, the mental health situation has shown signs of improvement.
4. The consumption of alcohol and cigarettes increased by 2.5%, with alcohol
consumption increasing by 4.1% while cigarette consumption has decreased by 0.23%
5. In the 1 st quarter of 2023, there were a total of 103,936 reported criminal cases, an
increase of 2.2% compared to the same quarter of 2022. In terms of road traffic
accidents, there were 207,498 reported casualties, which represented a 7.8% decrease
compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
6. Consumer protection complaints increased by 203.4% compared to the previous quarter.
In addition, NESDC reported on the following significant social situations:
7. Mutelu: Opportunities for Promoting Belief-Based Tourism: Mutelu tourism can be
compared to &quot;faith-based tourism&quot;. The value of Mutelu tourism, particularly related to
pilgrimage tourism, is estimated by the Ministry of Commerce to circulate up to 10,800
million baht. There are various forms of Mutelu tourism, which can be broadly classified
into two main categories: 1) Mutelu as places such as temples, shrines, and sacred sites,
as well as replicas of sacred entities; and 2) Mutelu as non-places such as talismans,
rituals, and the globally renowned artistry of Thai tattoos.
8. Social Enterprises for the Support of an Aging Society: Entering an aging society is an
issue of great interest and challenge for the country. The needs of the elderly are
diverse, and government measures alone cannot cover all aspects. As a result, various
social sector organizations play a role in bridging the gaps in elderly care models,
particularly through social enterprises (SEs), to accommodate the elderly in terms of
employment and health.
9. Non-Monetary Savings: Alternative Approaches for Future Income Generation: Currently,
alternative forms of saving that do not involve money are being encouraged. One such
option is asset saving through tree planting. This concept originated from using trees as
collateral for loans or debt repayment. Farmers can plant trees and use them as assets
to secure loans or repay debts to banks. Another form of non-monetary saving is asset
saving through animal husbandry, such as raising cattle, buffaloes, pigs, chickens, and
fish.
The report also includes an article: &quot;Morals in Thai Society&quot;, which points out Thailand&#39;s position
in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of 2022, ranking 101st out of 180 countries. This
reflects the relatively low level of morals in the country. Additionally, a survey conducted by the
Center for Morality Promotion in 2022 using the Moral Index, which measures various aspects of
morality including sufficiency, discipline, gratitude, honesty, and volunteerism, revealed that
most Thais have a fair level of morality. The aspect with the highest level of morality is
gratitude, while sufficiency scores the lowest. Notably, the moral level among the working-age
population tends to decline.