Summary Easing pandemic pain among the poor - TDRI: Thailand Development Research Institute tdri.or.th
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One Line
Thailand's second Covid-19 wave raises urgent concerns for the health and economy, particularly for inbound tourism, small businesses, and vulnerable groups.
Slides
Slide Presentation (13 slides)
Key Points
- The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand is different from the first wave, with higher infection numbers and spread to more provinces.
- Control measures for the second wave are less strict and will likely be relaxed sooner.
- Migrant workers and Thai-Myanmar cross-border travel are contributing to the spread of the virus.
- The economic and social repercussions of the second wave will be less severe than the first, but certain sectors and groups, such as tourism businesses and small businesses, are being hit harder.
- The Bank of Thailand predicts that 4.7 million people in the workforce will be affected by the second wave, with 1.1 million at risk of losing their jobs and 3.6 million facing significant loss of income.
- Vulnerable groups have suffered more from the pandemic, with job losses and adverse social impacts.
- Policy recommendations include urgent studies on the social impacts on vulnerable groups, special schemes to assist these groups, involvement of local governments and communities, monitoring of economic and social scars, prioritizing vaccinations for vulnerable people, and reforming the social protection system.
Summaries
19 word summary
Thailand's second Covid-19 wave brings health and economic concerns. Inbound tourism, small businesses, and vulnerable groups need urgent assistance.
55 word summary
Thailand's second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is causing health and economic concerns. Lockdown measures are less strict, but the virus has spread to more provinces. Certain sectors and groups, like inbound tourism and small businesses, are being hit hard. Vulnerable groups in the informal sector need urgent assistance and a reformed social protection system.
159 word summary
The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand has led to concerns about health risks and economic consequences. Lockdown measures are less strict this time, as achieving zero infections is seen as unrealistic. The virus has spread to more provinces, primarily due to migrant workers and cross-border travel. The second wave is expected to last longer than the first. While the economic outlook is better compared to the previous outbreak, certain sectors and groups are being hit harder, such as inbound tourism and small businesses. Vulnerable groups, particularly those in the informal sector, have been severely affected by income loss and limited access to healthcare and education. Policy recommendations include urgent studies on their needs, special assistance schemes, and reforming the social protection system to prioritize the poor and vulnerable. The government must ensure that vulnerable groups are not left out of state intervention schemes to mitigate the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic on the economy and society.
368 word summary
The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand has raised concerns about increasing health risks and economic repercussions. Although the number of infected people is higher and the virus has spread to more provinces, the lockdown measures are less strict than before. The public has come to realize that achieving zero infections is unrealistic, and the spike in new cases is due to migrant workers and cross-border travel. The crowded living conditions of these workers contribute to the spread of the virus. The second wave is expected to last longer than the first phase.
While the economic outlook is better compared to the previous outbreak, certain sectors and groups are being hit harder. Inbound tourism remains paralyzed, and small businesses with limited cash flow are at risk of closing down. According to the Bank of Thailand, 4.7 million people in the workforce will be affected, with 1.1 million at risk of losing their jobs and 3.6 million facing significant loss of income. Savings are declining, indicating a declining capacity to withstand the pandemic's impacts.
Vulnerable groups have been particularly affected by the pandemic. A study by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) showed that these groups, who were already working in the informal sector without job security or regular incomes, were among the first to lose their income. They also face adverse social impacts, such as poor performance in online studies for children in poor families and limited access to healthcare services for the elderly.
To assist vulnerable groups during the pandemic, policy recommendations include conducting an urgent study on their social impacts and needs, implementing special schemes to assist them, involving local governments and the private sector, monitoring the economic and social scars from the pandemic, and considering giving Covid-19 vaccines to vulnerable people before other groups. In the long term, Thailand must reform its social protection system to prioritize the poor and vulnerable.
Overall, it is crucial for the government to ensure that vulnerable groups are not left out in state intervention schemes. The prolonged pandemic will have long-lasting impacts on the economy and society, and a properly designed social protection system is necessary to help vulnerable groups heal from the scars of the pandemic.