Housing policy in Thailand : implications for welfare typology

Abstract

The objective of this research is to investigate housing policy in Thailand and thus contribute to the theoretical debate about housing welfare regime types. The Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) is used as a case study due to the fact that it is the largest urban conglomerate where housing policy has emerged and efforts to solve housing problems have been concentrated. Based on an extensive literature review at international level on welfare typology and social welfare development 'Four Pillars' involving the articulating factors of economy, globalisation, society, and politics are developed as a conceptual framework for the analysis. It is concluded that Thailand‟s housing policy contributes to the theoretical debate about the restrained productivist-particularist housing welfare regime due to specific characteristics based on three separate features. With regard to the particularist features, Thai housing policy targets different groups of people, including the poor and civil movements, and formal workers and private developers. Furthermore, it is used as a means to achieve the political goals of the government. The productivist features lie in the fact that housing contributes to an increase in productivity by formal workers dealing with housing activities. In addition, the government initiates housing policies to enhance private participation in the housing industry to rescue economic problems and bolster economic growth. However, Thai housing policy still reflects restrained features as the government has provided limited pro-poor housing benefits. It has also instigated policy constraints on housing development and sustainability of the housing industry.