INTRODUCTION

In Thai the term for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is ongkan (or ongkon) patthana ekachon, which could be translated literally as “private development organization”. The fact that “development” is integrated into the Thai term for NGOs indicates that they are deemed to be organizations whose aim is to encourage the socially and economically disadvantaged to strengthen their autonomous development and political capacities (Prudhisan and Maneerat 1997, p. 197). Development NGOs with this motivation emerged in Thailand during the process of rapid economic development launched in the 1960s. They were organized to address the needs of people suffering from poverty, criticized the state's development policies, and engaged in alternative development projects. In the 1980s, however, they began to be concerned with the state's development policies. Today, Thai NGOs are joining force with citizens' social movements — which attempt to influence the state from outside or the periphery of its formal decision-making mechanisms. In this chapter we will trace the state–NGO relationship in Thailand over the past thirty years and identify the basic characteristics that have endured throughout the changes. It should be added that prior to the advent of development NGOs, there were private charity organizations. In this chapter these groups will be dealt with as NGOs. However, our emphasis is of course on development NGOs.

HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS OF NGOs

Early History (until the 1950s)

Charity work in Thailand probably began at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was conducted by religious groups and overseas Chinese associations of the same original locality or the same language (Amara and Nitaya 1994, pp. 2–20). Until World War I, these groups mainly provided medical services and services for women and orphans. Many of them were formed by Christian organizations. Even after World War II, most of these groups remained as providers of social welfare services (Table 7.1). Their beneficiaries were orphans, youths, the visually impaired, and victims of disaster (Sakda 1975, p. 709). They were meant to serve the downtrodden. Many were managed by members of the royal family and other upper-class personages.