Achievment of ASEAN poverty eradication through ASEAN MDGs:Lesson learned from Thailand

Bhumisuk Khananurak, Nucharee Srivirojana
ASEAN countries decided to issued a Joint Declaration on the Attainment of the MDGs to reduce gap among ASEAN countries and fulfill the ASEAN Economic Comminity which will occure in 2015. This study, therefore, intend to compare poverty eradication in ASEAN countries using Thailand as case study for reducing poverty problem. Data from household socio-economic survey provided by National Statistical Office and ASEAN Statistic provided by ASEAN Secretariate during 1990-2010 were employed to compare poverty situation in ASEAN countries using the national poverty line. The result revealed that Thailand rank the second in ASEAN countries after Malaysia in achieving poverty eradiation. Continuous decline in poverty was due to the economic recovery, government assistance on cost of living, social benefit programs. In order to counter poverty eradication and reduce income disparity in ASEAN countries, most of the ASEAN countries should cooperate and support in exhcanging information and technology, knowledge among each other to increase productivity. Moreover, central organization to manage resources in ASEAN countries should be set up to make ASEAN become one community to create equality, improve quality and sustainable growth in these areas.