The role of Social Capital in Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Thailand

Over the last decade, Thailand's vulnerability to large-scale flooding has been steadily increasing as volumes of water from monsoon rains are becoming less predictable – due to climate change, urbanisation and issues around land use practices. The unprecedented scale of the 2011 flooding prompted national and international attention, including IFRC and TRCS’s commitments to invest more in building Thailand’s capacity in disaster risk reduction (DRR), from the national to the community level. This study aims contribute the existing evidence base on how social capital can be harnessed to strengthen DRR in Thailand.

While social capital is generally recognised as an important means to building community resilience, there is still little knowledge about how it can be best utilised towards DRR efforts. To this end, the authors of this report conducted an extensive literature review coupled with field work comprised of community participatory workshops and surveys. The findings illustrate that throughout all three study communities, social capital is evident in the very fabric of Thai society, and is an important catalyst for collective action and community resilience. As such, investments in social capital can have significant spillover effects. However, despite reportedly high levels of social harmony and personal attachment to the community, social trust remains comparatively lower. This has important implications for Thailand’s economic and social development; as low levels of trust and associated structural inequalities leads to wasted productive potential in the long-run. Attention to equity and inclusiveness is critical for sustained growth and eventual graduation from low-income status and lower poverty.