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Human Security in Practice in Thailand

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Human Security Norms in East Asia

Part of the book series: Security, Development and Human Rights in East Asia ((SDHRP))

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Abstract

This chapter traces the process of acceptance of human security in Thailand in terms of both concept and operationalization by reviewing literature and interviewing key stakeholders. The position of the Thai government on human security is Janus-faced. The Thai government capitalized on the concept of human security in 1994 at the time it was propounded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). After establishing the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) in 2002, however, the focus has shifted from foreign policy for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to domestic “Thai-style” social welfare policy. While “Thai-style” human security is supposed to be one way of localizing the alien concept, the author argues that its “depoliticization”, that is, the omission of the “freedom from fear” aspect, tends to narrow the concept’s scope of application.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The division of the history of human security into two periods is purely for analytical purposes. The authors realize that in the real world, the periods may overlap and policies in the first period may continue into the later stage.

  2. 2.

    See quotation of Surin’s statement in Capie and Evans (2002, 144).

  3. 3.

    In the bureaucratic reform workshop, the Thaksin administration further divided participants into three mini-workshops grouped around three different functions, namely, economic, security, and social affairs. See Lokwanne (2001).

  4. 4.

    When asked who put the words “human security” into the name of the newly created ministry, key informants voiced different opinions. While officials from the National Economic and Social Development Office thought that it was Paiboon Wattanasiritham, an NGO leader who later became Minister of the MSDHS during the Surayud government (Government #1; #2 2014), one university professor suggested that it might have been Surakiart Sathirathai, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs (Academic #1 2014). According to an official MSDHS document, however, the initiator of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security was Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. See Saracharas (2003).

  5. 5.

    Most recently the number of departments has been expanded into five. The former four divisions of women, child and youth, elderly, and persons with disabilities were elevated to department level.

  6. 6.

    Interestingly, most of the key informants pointed out in the same way that there is nothing new in the concept of human security. One of the very first articles about human security in the Thai language also indicated this point. See Srisirirojnakorn (2002).

  7. 7.

    This point was confirmed by an interviewee who was posted at an MSDHS provincial office. He also mentioned that the first task his boss assigned him was to research the definition of human security. He admitted that he (and his boss) had not previously known about this concept (Government #5 2014).

  8. 8.

    This point was also raised by Sora-Ath Klinpratoom, the second minister, who wrote, “We (officials in the MSDHS) are still stuck to the old framework of songraha.” See Klinpratoom (2003).

  9. 9.

    Note that this is a direct quotation from the bilingual book published by the MSDHS without any revisions or modifications.

  10. 10.

    Note that the overall list of threats that appeared in the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan includes political uncertainty and protracted conflict, and environmental degradation from global warming and climate change (National Economic and Social Development Board 2012).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Surangrut Jumnianpol

  2. Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

    Nithi Nuangjamnong

Authors
  1. Surangrut Jumnianpol
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  2. Nithi Nuangjamnong
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Correspondence to Surangrut Jumnianpol .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Global Studies, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan

    Yoichi Mine

  2. Research Institute, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo, Japan

    Oscar A. Gómez  & Ako Muto  & 

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Jumnianpol, S., Nuangjamnong, N. (2019). Human Security in Practice in Thailand. In: Mine, Y., Gómez, O.A., Muto, A. (eds) Human Security Norms in East Asia. Security, Development and Human Rights in East Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97247-3_11

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