Thai International Cooperation Program 

Thai International Cooperation Programme (South – South Cooperation)

OVERVIEW

            In response to the new paradigm of the Royal Thai Government’s foreign policies, such as  “Forward Engagement” “Look West Policy” and more importantly a changing role form “Recipient Country” to “an Emerging Donor” announced in 2003.  Then, Thailand through TICA, has played more active role in promoting development cooperation among other developing countries beyond its neighbour and its own region, reaching to South Asia, the Middle-East, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Africa and even further to Latin America and the Caribbean.  Different forms of activities such as a dispatch of Thai experts, a provision of fellowships for academic study/training/study visit in Thailand, an allocation of technical equipment, an implementation of development projects or tailor-made programmes, in our potential areas, such as agriculture, health, and education, have been undertaken, under the bilateral, multilateral, and regional cooperation framework, to share our expertise and best practices.  It is meant to contribute other developing countries in their capacity building and human resources development needs for an advancement of their socio-economic development

            To ensure its role as an emerging donor and effective delivery of its development programme,   Thailand is also exploring the new partners or new forms of cooperation. In this regard, one form of partnership among the developing countries or so-called “South-South Cooperation”, i.e., “TCDC” (Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries)

has been encouraged.  Among the partners,   we are able to share our skill and/or resources and consequently to broaden up our expertise as  well as to ensure ownership and sustainability of the programme.  This is now evident in our bilateral programme with, for example, countries in South Asia like Bhutan, the Middle-East like Jordan, and Africa

like Egypt. 

            In addition, Thailand has also supported the involvement of “private sector” in development cooperation among the South, by sponsoring various institutions located in Thailandsuch as Mekong Institute (MI) and International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD), in their development programme extended to public or private sector in other developing countries.  As we believe that networking is also the key to an effectiveness of any country development programme and value  their pride of competency and expertise, and hope to facilitate an advancement of these institutional capacities.