An Assessment of the Achievement of the Emergency Medical Act B.E. 2551: Situation, Challenges, and Development Pathways

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to examine the situation, problems, and challenges arising from the enforcement of the Emergency Medical Act B.E. 2551 (2008); and to evaluate whether the Act has achieved its legislative objectives; as well as to develop recommendations and guidelines for amending the Act to align with Thailand’s current context. A qualitative research approach was employed alongside quantitative analysis of data from the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) database, including the Provincial Emergency Medical Services Performance Scoring Index (PEPSI), public perception and satisfaction surveys, and stakeholder consultations through public hearings, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. The findings indicated that since the Act’s enactment, Thailand’s emergency medical services (EMS) had achieved significant progress: emergency service utilization increased by 62 percent over the past decade, and the survival rate of critical emergency patients transported to hospital exceeded 93 percent. Nevertheless, persistent challenges remained, including inadequate sub-district-level service coverage, insufficient funding for the Emergency Medical Fund, and the complexity of subordinate regulations. This study therefore proposes strategic development plans over 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year budget cycles to strengthen Thailand’s EMS system in alignment with current national needs.