Published date: Feb 24 2023

Journal Title: KnE Social Sciences

Issue title: International Conference on Politics, Social, and Humanities Sciences (2nd ICPSH 2022)

Pages: 249–259

DOI: 10.18502/kss.v8i3.12832

Thanawat PimoljindaBurapha Business School, Burapha University

Sunee Hongwisetsuneeh@go.buu.ac.thBurapha Business School, Burapha University

This paper focuses on the state of food safety and economic recovery in Thailand following the COVID-19 pandemic. Content analysis on the news, research studies, organizations’ reports, and statistical data regarding food safety and relevant government policies during 2020–2022 was employed in order to analyse the impact upon and the adaptation of farmers and consumers, as well as the actions of the Thai government. COVID-19 resulted in various public health measures that placed restrictions on transportation, directly and indirectly affecting the supply chain system, food production, and employment. The Thai government has launched strategic policies based on the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model in order to recover the overall economic situation. It has supported the University to Tambon’s (U2T) projects with the aim of strengthening the local communities across Thailand. Technological and innovative techniques and equipment have been adopted to create safe food production, especially agricultural products. The project’s development is still underway and needs long-term evaluation and improvement.

Keywords: food safety, post COVID-19, economic recovery, U2T campaign

[1] Office of Agricultural Economics. Fact sheet about agricultural land areas [Internet]. Bangkok: Office of Agricultural Economics; 2019 [cited 2022 Jun 17]. 4 p. Available from: https://www.oae.go.th/assets/portals/1/files/socio/LandUtilization2562.pdf

[2] Royal Thai Government. Thai government moves forward the “Agriculture produces – Commerce markets” approach to boost agricultural export growth and accelerate the utilization of FTA through GAP/GMP certification [Internet]. Bangkok: Royal Thai Government; 2021 [cited 2022 Jun 16]. Available from: https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/41008

[3] Sereenonchai S, Arunrat N. Understanding food security behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand: A review. Agronomy (Basel). 2021;11(3):497.

[4] Thammachote P, Jirapa I. Trochim: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thailand’s agricultural export flows [Internet]Michigan: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University; 2021. 46 pp. [cited 2022 Jun 18], Available from https://www.canr.msu.edu/prci/PRCI-Research-Paper- 4-Thailand_updated.pdf

[5] USDA. The impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 on Thai agricultural production [Internet]. Washington, DC: USDA; 2020 [cited 2022 Jun 18]. 6 p. Available from: https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/thailand-impact-outbreak-COVID-19- thai-agricultural-production

[6] Sapbamrer R, Chittrakul J, Sirikul W, Kitro A, Chaiut W, Panya P, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on daily lives, agricultural working lives, and mental health of farmers in northern Thailand. Sustainability (Basel). 2022;14(3):1189.

[7] Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Thailand foreign agricultural trade statistics 2021. Bangkok: Center of Agricultural Economics; 2021. p. 175.

[8] NESDC. Gross Domestic Product: Q1/2022 [Internet]. Bangkok: NESDC; 2022 [cited 2022 Jun 25]. 35 p. Available from: https://www.nesdc.go.th/nesdb_en/article_attach/PDF%20Q1- 2022%20ENG%20EDITED.pdf

[9] DEPA. Agriculture landscape in Thailand [Internet]. Bangkok: DEPA; 2020 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.depa.or.th/storage/app/media/file/ investment-bulletin.pdf

[10] Anis Munirah MS, Norfarizan-Hanoon NA. Interrelated of food safety, food security and sustainable food production. Food Res. 2022;6(1):304–10.

[11] WWF. The time for action is now: Thailand’s commitments to the UN Food Systems Summit [Internet]. Bangkok: WWF; 2021 [cited 2022 Jun 17]. Available from:https://www.wwf.or.th/en/?370317/The-time-for-action-is-now-Thailandscommitments- to-the-UN-Food-Systems-Summit

[12] Office of Agricultural Economics. Agricultural economic report: 1st quarter 2022 and outlook for 2022 [Internet]. Bangkok: Office of Agricultural Economics; 2022 [cited 2022 Jun 25]. Available from: https://www.oae.go.th/assets/portals/1/fileups/ bappdata/files/Outlook%20Q1_2565.pdf

[13] USDA. Thailand’s food and restaurant trends in 2022 [Internet]. Bangkok: USDA; 2022 [cited 2022 Jun 25]. Available from: https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/ Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Thailand%27s%20Food%20and% 20Restaurant%20Trends%20in%202022_Bangkok_Thailand_TH2022-0018.pdf

[14] Thoopkrajae V. The food, nutrition and wellness trends that are in for 2022. Thai PBS World [Internet]. 2021 Dec 28 [cited 2022 Jun 26]. Available from:https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-food-nutrition-and-wellnesstrends- that-are-in-for-2022/

[15] EIC. Thailand after COVID-19 part 2: Business opportunities and survival [Internet]. Bangkok: EIC, SCB; 2020 [cited 2022 Jun 22]. Available from:https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/stories/business-maker/thailandafter- covid-ep2.html

[16] Kessuvan A, Thongpech A. COVID-19 and the new normal food consumption in Thailand. The FFTC Journal of Agricultural Policy. 2021;2:52- https: //ap.fftc.org.tw/system/files/journal_article/COVID-19%20and%20the%20New% 20Normal%20Food%20Consumption%20in%20Thailand_0.pdf

[17] Klinsrisuk R, Pechdin W. Evidence from Thailand on easing COVID-19’s international travel restrictions: an impact on economic production, household income, and sustainable tourism development. Sustainability (Basel). 2022;14(6):3423.

[18] The Nation. Thailand’s farm exports rise over 28% in first 5 months. The Nation [Internet]. 2022 Jul 2 [cited 2022 Jul 2]. Available from: https://www.nationthailand.com/infocus/ 40017273

[19] UNESCAP. Annual report of Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific [Internet]. Bangkok: UNESCAP; 2022 [cited 2022 Jun 25]. 36 p. Available from:https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/d8files/eventdocuments/ ESCAP_78_34_E.pdf

[20] World Bank. How strengthening community innovations can support COVID-19 recovery in Thailand’s poorest provinces [Internet]. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2021 [cited 2022 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/09/30/how-strengtheningcommunity- innovations-can-support-COVID-19-recovery-in-thailand-s-poorestprovinces

[21] Jansuwan, p, Zander, KK. Multifunctional farming as successful pathway for the next generation of Thai farmers. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(4):e0267351. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.. pone.0267351