Author : Surangrut Jumnianpol, Nithi Nuangjamnong, Montakarn Chimmamee, and Thananon Buathong
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and the methods employed in its prevention have threatened human security globally. Thailand experienced more than two years of the pandemic, and as an aging society, the country is more vulnerable to its effects due to lower productivity and greater financial burdens—in addition to its health impacts. A primary characteristic of the Thai elderly population is its vulnerability in terms of economic and physical decline, as well as the need for social support, especially among the urban elderly poor. While the Royal Thai Government (RTG) provides many social support schemes, these remain insufficient. The government’s failure and use of top-down protection approaches are evidenced by the weakness of the public health service during the pandemic. Community Isolation (CI), a program initiated by a network of civil society groups and communities, is an example of a bottom-up initiative to cope with COVID-19. Based on the lessons learned from setting up CI, the report argues that the synchronization of top-down power and bottom-up energy is a necessary condition for sustainably promoting human security. Finally, a community-based approach to elderly services, with the government providing supporting policies, is proposed as a concrete model of community empowerment to promote human security among the community and the elderly themselves.