Thailand

Southeast Asia

Country Profile: Thailand

Statistics

Human development index (for 2005)
Human development index rank	78 (UNDP 2007)
GDP per capital (PPP)	$8 677 (UNDP 2007)
Life Expectancy at birth (years)	69.6 (UNDP 2007)
Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education	71.2 per cent (UNDP 2007)*
Demography
Total population mid-2007	62 829 000 (United Nations 2006)
Population of persons with disabilities	1.9 million (2007) (Thailand 2008b)
Proportion of persons with disabilities to total population	2.9 per cent (2007) (Thailand 2008b) (Singapore 2008a)
Proportion of persons with disabilities to total population	2.9 per cent (2007) (Thailand 2008b) (Singapore 2008a)
definition of disability	Disability is an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participationrestrictions (ESCAP 2006, Q 19). In a survey conducted in Thailand in 2007, persons with disability were identified by activity limitations and impairments (Thailand 2008b)
definition of persons with disabilities	“[P]ersons who encounter certain limitations in performing their daily activities or social participation due to their impairment in vision, hearing, mobility, communication, mind, emotion, conduct, intellect, learning or any other impairment/disabilities along with various difficulties, and specifically need some assistance to enable them [to] perform their daily activities or social participation same as ordinary persons. The types and prescriptions of disabilities shall be as determined and announced by the Minister of Social Development and Human Security.” (Thailand 2007b, chap. I, sect. 4)
definition of persons with disabilities
Employment rate of persons with disabilities	71.5 per cent of persons with disabilities over 15 are unemployed; 28.5 per cent employed (Thailand 2007c)
Access to education	67.82 per cent of school-age persons with disabilities are provided education (Thailand 2007c)
Institutional framework
National coordination mechanism or disability focal point	The Bureau of Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities/Committee for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (National Office of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities)
Number of members and composition of the mechanism	Not available
Legislative and policy framework
Mention on disability in constitution	“Unjust discrimination against a person on the grounds of…disability…shall not be permitted” (Thailand 2007a, chap. III, part 2, sect. 30) “…the…disabled… have the right to be accorded protection with regard to appropriate trials and have the right to receive proper treatment in cases related to sexual violence” (Thailand 2007a, chap. III, part 4, sect. 40(6)) “The State shall pursue directive principles of State policies in relation to Social Affairs, Public Health, Education and Cultural Affairs…to… provide aids and welfare to…the disabled…” (Thailand 2007a, chap. V, part 4, sect. 80(1)) “A person shall enjoy an equal right to receive education for the duration of not less than twelve years which shall be provided by the State thoroughly, up to the quality, and without charge. The … disabled … shall be accorded the right under paragraph one and entitled to such support from the State as to enable them to receive education comparable to that received by other persons …” (Thailand 2007a, chap. III, part 8, sect. 49) “The disabled … shall have the right to have access to and use public welfare and conveniences as well as appropriate aids to be provided by the State. Persons of unsound mind shall be appropriately assisted by the State.” (Thailand 2007a, chap. III, part 9, sect. 54) “In considering a bill the substance of which is decided by the President of the House of Representatives to be concerned with … the disabled or persons of infirmity, if the House of Representatives does not consider it by its full committee, the House of Representatives shall appoint an ad hoc committee consisting of representatives, from private organisations concerned with the respective types of persons, of not less than one-third of the total number of members of the committee, provided that it shall be represented by a close number of men and women.” (Thailand 2007a, chap. VI, part 7, sect. 152)
Mention on disability in constitution
comprehensive disability law	Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act B.E. 2550 (Thailand 2007b)
Disabilitiy-specific anti discrimination law	No (ESCAP 2006, Q 10)
Sectoral disbility laws	Cover: education; employment; rehabilitation; health; information and technology; building code; transportation; poverty alleviation; and social security/social welfare (ESCAP 2006, Q 8(i))
National plan of action on disability	National Plan on Quality of Life Development of Persons with Disabilities 2007-2011 (Thailand 2007c)
National efforts to promote an Inclusive Society
Employment quota scheme	2.0 per cent (ESCAP 2004c, Q 30-a)
National accessibility standard	Ministerial Regulations on Accessibility B.E. 2548 (2005) (ESCAP 2006, Q 13.1)
Standardized sign language	Yes (National Association of the Deaf in Thailand 2004)
ICT accessibility guideline	No response provided (ESCAP 2006, Qs 17.1, 18.1)
Financial commitment
Proportion of disability (social) spending to GDP or entire national budget	Not available
Annual budget allocated to the national coordination mechanism	$1.4 million (ESCAP 2006, Q 1(ii))
Commitment to regional and international instruments on disability
Signatory to the Proclamation of the Decade	1993 (ESCAP 2004b)
Ratification of ILO Convention159	11 October 2007 (ILO 2009)
Ratification or signatiory of the conventions on the Rights of Person with Disabilities, and its Optional Protocol	Signed the Convention on 30 March 2007, Ratified the Convention on 29 July 2008 (United Nations 2009)

National or UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimate; * Based on 2002 National Statistics Survey.; *** Currently being revised