HIGHLIGHTS
- Evidence-Based Foresight for National Research Policy: In strategic partnership with TSRI and NXPO, Thammasat University (via SDG Move) applied Horizon Scanning and Adapted Delphi methods across six Thai regions to systematically map localized gaps and steer national Science, Research, and Innovation (SRI) grant allocations.
- Formulation of the Thailand Provincial SDG Index: The initiative established a nationwide diagnostic tool evaluating all 77 provinces across the UN’s 5Ps framework (People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, Partnership), pinpointing critical territorial disparities such as multidimensional poverty, informal labor, and environmental vulnerabilities.
- Nationwide Infrastructure for Adaptive Governance: The framework provides continuous benchmarking and monitoring mechanisms, enabling national ministries and local authorities to track intervention outcomes over time and dynamically optimize public resource distribution.
Thammasat University, through the Centre for SDG Research and Support (SDG Move) at the Faculty of Economics, demonstrates steadfast leadership in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by maintaining direct involvement in, and providing strategic input into, national government SDG policy development. Through the strategic research initiative “Area Need: Integrated Planning of Science, Research, and Innovation for Sustainable Area-Based Development,” funded by Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) and conducted in strategic partnership with the Office of the National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), the university bridges academic research with actionable public governance.
The initiative was established as an evidence-based mechanism for identifying problems and challenges across Thailand’s diverse territorial landscapes. Applying advanced foresight techniques—specifically Horizon Scanning and an Adapted Delphi methodology involving multidisciplinary experts—the university systematically mapped regional knowledge gaps across social, economic, environmental, peace, and institutional dimensions. By engaging multi-sectoral working groups and regional stakeholders across Thailand’s six geographical regions (North, Northeast, Central, East, South, and Deep South) in participatory foresight sessions, Thammasat University contributed directly to modelling likely futures with and without policy interventions. These foresight models established the empirical foundation required to shape national research grant allocation and target public investments toward critical development priorities.
Extending this multi-year initiative into 2025, Thammasat University spearheaded the formulation of the Thailand Provincial SDG Index. This pioneering framework evaluates sustainable development performance across all 77 provinces by aligning international methodologies with localized indicators under the United Nations’ 5Ps framework: People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, and Partnership. By synthesizing multi-year secondary data and incorporating feedback from regional stakeholder workshops, the index provides precise diagnostic insights into territorial disparities—such as informal labour, multidimensional poverty, educational performance, air quality, and environmental vulnerabilities.
The resulting dataset equips national policymaking bodies with indispensable tools for developing policies and strategies tailored to regional contexts. Decision-makers at NXPO and TSRI utilize the Provincial SDG Index as a primary instrument to steer the national Science, Research, and Innovation (SRI) budget, ensuring that research funding effectively addresses territorial knowledge deficits and localized vulnerabilities without favouring any single province.
Furthermore, the index provides a nationwide infrastructure for monitoring and reporting on interventions over time. By assessing provincial progress against normalized benchmarks, the framework enables national ministries and provincial authorities to track policy outcomes rigorously. Ultimately, this comprehensive evidence base serves as a dynamic steering tool for enabling adaptive management—empowering governmental bodies to adjust strategic priorities, optimize resource allocation, and implement responsive, data-driven solutions to foster equitable sustainable development across Thailand.
