On 1 March 2019, 10.00 hrs. at the Central Hall, 1st Floor of the Department of Social Development and Welfare, Mrs. Napa Setthakorn, Director-General presided over the press conference for ASEAN+3 Conference on Social Enterprises “Advancing Social Enterprises for Realisation of SDGs in ASEAN”, scheduled to be held during 6 - 8 March 2019 at Swiss Hotel Bangkok Ratchada, Bangkok.
Thailand recognizes the importance of driving the country forward to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by the United Nations which gears towards solving global challenges, especially those concerning poverty and inequalities. At the 33rd ASEAN Summit held in Singapore on November 13 November 2018, the Royal Thai Government led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha confirmed its commitment to give full support in order to ensure that sustainability will eventually be established in ASEAN Community based on the key concept of “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability” and to build the society of generosity as well as to improve quality of life of people so that no one will be left behind. Thailand has also attached great importance to developing social innovation and driving social enterprises forward on a sustainable basis, Mrs. Napa said.
In the year 2019, Thailand will chair the ASEAN Summit, the Royal Thai Government, through the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, recognizes the importance of strengthening close collaboration in the social area among Thailand and other ASEAN member countries using social enterprises as the key mechanism. Being under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Department of Social Development and Welfare, as the Secretariat of the National Social Enterprise Promotion Committee, has, therefore, maintained cooperation with the Social Enterprise Thailand Association, British Council and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (United Nations ESCAP) in holding the ASEAN+3 Conference on Social Enterprises under the theme “Advancing Social Enterprises for Realisation of SDGs in ASEAN”. The objectives of the Conference are to promote cooperation in the area of social enterprises which involves pushing the work forward and strengthening the social development and welfare networks, to promote activities concerning with public relation and dissemination of information indicating the outcome of past performance and sharing of knowledge and experiences among participants on social enterprises as well as to enhance capacity and provide knowledge concerning social enterprises within the region to increase better awareness and understanding among ASEAN peoples about social enterprises for sustainable development. The participants of the Conference include all ASEAN Member States and the Plus Three Countries namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Japan,the Republic of Korea, and Thailand. The Conference will be held during 6 - 8 March 2019 at Swissotel Bangkok Ratchada. On the whole, focus of the Conference will be on sharing of thoughts and views from various development contexts especially learning through an exchange of individual experience gained from actual practice based on different country and regional context.
Mrs. Napa added that the Department of Social Development and Welfare is ready to promote cooperation on the work concerning social enterprises and strengthening networks for social development and welfare for the achievement of sustainable development in the Region as well as to develop body of knowledge on social enterprises in order to raise awareness of the role and importance of social enterprises among ASEAN peoples.
