Right To Play in Thailand
After more than two decades of empowering children through the power of play and sport, Right To Play Thailand’s programs concluded at the end of 2023, and have been transitioned to local community organizations. We extend a heartfelt thanks to our partners, local NGOs, international organizations, dedicated teachers, coaches, and inspiring youth who have been instrumental in shaping a better future for the children of Thailand.
Right To Play worked in some of the most marginalized communities in Thailand from 2002 to 2023, helping to protect and educate children and youth. We developed tailored programming for children and youth in transitory environments like migrant shelters, and youth detention and rehabilitation facilities.
While working in Thailand, Right To Play used a partnership approach based on our robust relationship with the Ministries of Education and Justice and our ongoing work with local civil society organizations. In 2013, Right To Play and the Ministry of Education formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding intended to jointly promote holistic skills development in the country. A year later, life skills education and experiential learning methods were formally adopted into the school curriculum. Right To Play then expanded its partnership approach to the regional level and became an endorsed partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretariat.
In 2020, Right To Play, together with the Liverpool FC Foundation, launched “Open Goals”, an exciting new initiative to enhance the psychosocial well-being and leadership ability of children and youth in low-income urban communities in Bangkok and Liverpool.
Learn more about our partnership with the Liverpool FC Foundation and our work together in Thailand and Senegal
The challenges faced by children living in Thailand
Through rapid economic growth and investment in human capital, Thailand has made significant gains in human development. Despite this success, Thailand continues to be a country with high levels of inequality; an estimated 1.5 million children live below the poverty line.
Thailand’s overall success has attracted millions of migrants from neighbouring countries. Of the four to five million migrants estimated to be living and working in Thailand, one to two-and-a-half million are thought to hold irregular status. Without official documentation, irregular migrants and their children are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Thailand has a high youth population -- approximately 20% of the Thai population are between the ages of 15 and 29. With youth literacy levels at 98%, Thai youth have the potential to contribute in positive and meaningful ways to Thai society. Yet youth in Thailand face many challenges including high levels of high school drop-out, mental health issues, drug abuse, and violence.
- 22% of children are deprived in multiple ways simultaneously with the most common deprivations involving education and health.
- 15% of all youth are not in any form of education, employment, or training.
- 1 in 10 students aged 13–17 have attempted suicide.
- More than 200,000 migrant children remain out of school and are not receiving any form of education.
Building capacity and commitment for youth leadership and participation
For more than 20 years, Right To Play Thailand helped build the leadership capacity of youth through training on life and sports skills, leadership, and coaching. One of the ways was by establishing Youth Committees in temporary shelters for displaced persons to boost youth agency and participation.
At the regional level, Right To Play worked with the ASEAN Secretariat to develop the leadership and facilitation skills of youth representatives from ten ASEAN member countries.
Win and his family migrated from Myanmar, and through a difficult transition, was able to work on his confidence, leadership, and pursue the sport he loves: football.
Social connections were also promoted through play days and sports events that build community understanding of and support for childrens' rights and participation.
Our work in juvenile centres helped build greater understanding and support for youth engagement and participation. In several cases, youth leaders and adults have worked together to co-lead activities for other youth in detention.
“Before, staff looked at things only from a disciplinary angle. Now things are changing. Staff no longer think of the youth just as prisoners.” – Director, juvenile centre, 2019
Strengthening the life skills of children and youth
Right To Play uses structured play and sport to promote life skills for children and youth. Our work in Thailand put particular focus on the five key areas of life skills endorsed by the federal government. Working with the Office of Basic Education Commission and UNICEF Thailand, Right To Play designed life skills training for use in Thai schools. The 21st Century Skills Education Teacher Manual, combined with the “I am a teacher of the 21st century” campaign has helped to spread acceptance of play-based methodologies amongst teachers and education officials as an effective way of teaching life skills.
We also worked with the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection to train all physical education teachers working in youth centres on the department's “Sports Classroom” policy. Through this work, we supported youth to develop life skills, and to positively engage with their communities and neighbouring schools in preparation for reintegration.
Promoting access to quality education for displaced and migrant children
Right To Play working Thailand with key education stakeholders in temporary shelters along the border with Myanmar to provide quality basic education to displaced persons. We helped to train and mentor teachers, support parent teacher associations to make positive contributions, and mobilize communities to identify out-of-school children and encourage their return to school. We have also helped train nursery school trainers on lesson plan development, classroom management, storytelling, materials development, and child protection.
Many migrant children attend Migrant Learning Centers (MLCs) instead of Thai public schools, and our work helped ensure that teachers in MLCs can also receive training, coaching, and support. Through our work, we also specifically addressed the educational needs of migrant children with disabilities.
Right To Play gratefully acknowledges the support of all of our financial and technical partners. Supporters of our programs in Thailand included the IKEA Foundation, the Laureus Foundation, UNICEF, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation, DKSH Holding AG, DJOP Thailand, Slaight, Irish Aid, the Liverpool FC Foundation, Lacoste Foundation, and supporters like you.