AYUTTHAYA, Sept. 11, 2009 -- The Office of National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), in collaboration with the Prime Minister's Office, organized a workshop on the "Financial Crisis and Social Protection in Thailand" to discuss the human dimensions of the ongoing economic slowdown.

The workshop was a forum for Thai government officials to interact with international development experts on how social protection systems can better protect the poorest and most vulnerable of the country. Both Annette Dixon (in picture above), the World Bank's Thailand Country Director, and Tomoo Hozumi, the Resident Representative for UNICEF in Thailand, suggested that better social protecton systems can also help the government build a more cohesive society in the long run.

More than 100 government officials and staff of international development organizations participated in this event. This workshop was the second of its kind that was convened by the Thai government in response to the financial crisis.

The first workshop in July was focused on the monitoring and evaluation of the second stimulus program, as well as the medium-term challenges in Thailand.