On September 24, 2026, the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) at Fudan University hosted the 6th event of its Global Leadership Series. Tuenjai Kongsombat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand, delivered a keynote speech one the theme of New Trends in Social Development and Governance in Thailand: Towards Inclusive, Digital, and Collaborative Social Policy. Mrs. Kongsombat has extensive experience in social development, social welfare administration, children and youth development, and public administration. The event was chaired by Prof. Yijia Jing, Dean of IGPP. Prof. Ke Shen, Associate Dean of School of Social Development and Public Policy, and Associate Professor Ziteng Fan of IGPP joined the roundtable discussion.

In her keynote speech, Mrs. Kongsombat discussed Thailand’s changing social development landscape and the corresponding transformation of social governance. Drawing on recent reforms and policy experiments, she introduced the country’s latest practices in social policy, highlighting key challenges such as extending public services to increasingly diverse social groups, harnessing digital technologies to improve the efficiency of social services, and strengthening collaboration between government agencies and other social actors. Against the backdrop of Thailand’s shift from social welfare toward social protection and social investment, she further explained how inclusiveness, digitalization, and collaborative approaches are being incorporated into the design and implementation of social policy. She noted that Thailand’s social policy is moving beyond an assistance-oriented approach toward one that places greater emphasis on prevention, empowerment, and opportunity creation. Digital transformation and artificial intelligence, she emphasized, can enable more proactive and targeted welfare provision, but AI should augment human capabilities rather than replace people.

The subsequent roundtable discussion broadened the conversation to social development challenges shared by China and Thailand. Prof. Jing, Prof. Shen, Associate Professor Fan, and Mrs. Kongsombat exchanged views on population aging, inequality, changes in labor markets and family structures, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, and climate change. Drawing on her research in social development and public policy, Prof. Shen discussed issues related to population aging, social protection, and family policy. Associate Professor Fan approached these issues from the perspectives of digital governance and public policy, focusing on the application of digital technologies in social welfare provision and the governance of artificial intelligence. The different institutional contexts and governance practices of China and Thailand also offered valuable comparative perspectives on social policy innovation. Participants highlighted the growing importance of mutual learning and cooperation between China and Thailand in the field of social policy.

During the Q&A session, faculty members and students engaged Mrs. Kongsombat in a lively discussion on social policy governance in Thailand, government service hotlines, and related issues. Mrs. Kongsombat explained that the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is seeking to strengthen collaboration with a broader range of social actors, including universities and NGOs, as part of its ongoing efforts to reform social policy governance. She also emphasized that digital transformation and artificial intelligence should ultimately serve people. Reforms to government hotlines and other public services should therefore focus on using AI to improve service quality and administrative efficiency while reducing the workload of frontline public service personnel.

Following the Q&A session, Prof. Jing presented Mrs. Kongsombat with a commemorative gift, and the participants gathered for a group photo.

After the event, Prof. Jing invited Mrs. Kongsombat to take a photo at Fudan University’s to-be-launched “Thailand Corner.”