Thailand

Government responses

Mainstreaming of disability inclusion, participation, and partnerships

• [29 April 2020] A factory run by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, which provides job opportunities for persons with disabilities, has been producing special face masks that enable lip-reading while staying protected.

Accessible public information 

• [16 April 2020] The Ministry of Public Health provides information on COVID-19 in sign language and braille.

Social protection and employment support

• [28 April 2020] The Cabinet has approved the payment of an extra Bt 1,000 to each disability card holder in addition to their monthly allowances, aiming to ease the burden on persons with disabilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• [26 May 2020] The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has made a proposal to the Cabinet to provide cash transfer for vulnerable groups that had not benefited from the Rao Mai Thing Gun cash handout programme of the Ministry of Finance or the campaigns organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The primary beneficiaries are older persons, persons with disabilities and parents of new-born infants. The Cabinet has agreed to set aside Bt 39.42 billion to finance a new cash handout programme for 13.14 million extremely vulnerable people.
• [3 June 2020] The Office of the Basic Education Commission has allocated a budget for food to students who were learning remotely, including students with disabilities and underprivileged students.
• [30 July 2020] The Permanent Secretary of Labour has discussed measures to support workers with disabilities affected by COVID-19 with the Association of Persons with Disabilities. The Association has proposed to accelerate government agencies’ hiring of persons with disabilities.

Last modified: 6 May 2021