41080 March 2007 Thailand and World Bank The seminar was the latest of the World Bank's Share Experience on efforts to help Thailand move toward a knowledge economy. It followed a series of seminars in the Knowledge Management first and second week of the month, during which Washington-based World Bank economists offered Applications their insights into the state of the regional and global economy, followed by policy recommendations On February 15, more than for Thailand to improve its 300 representatives from own competitiveness. Government agencies, non-governmental orga- "Since last year, the World nizations, and public as Bankhassponsoredanum- well as private companies ber of seminars on various attended the seminar on aspects of the knowledge Knowledge Management economy in support of the Applications: World Bank Thaipublicandprivatesec- & Thailand Experience tors' move to become more Sharing. This was the first knowledge-driven," said event of its kind organized Ian Porter, World Bank Thai- by the World Bank Office land Country Director, as he Bangkok, in collaboration Discussing Knowledge ManagementApplicationsandCommunities welcomed participants to with the Knowledge Man- ofPracticeduringtheseminar the seminar. agement Institute (KMI). Thehighlevelofparticipationwasareflectionofthe "If some of you are wondering "Why is knowledge growing interest in knowledge management within management important to us?" The answer is quite Thailand, especially within the public sector. Continueonpage2 Two World Bank February Events Promote HIV/AIDS AwarenessAmong Youth in Thailand Young people in Thailand now seem to be adopting a more casual attitude toward sex than did their parents' generation. However, without adequate knowledgeofhowtoprotectthemselvesfromHIV/ AIDS, they could easily place themselves, as well as the country's future, at risks. Arecent survey byAssumption University revealed YouthClubmembershandingouttheroses,withtheSafeSex that a third of Thai girls who responded to the poll or No Sex message attached,to high school students in Siam think it neat to lose virginity on Valentine's Day. Square However, they may be unaware that less than half of sexually active youth men around the world By contrast, longer life expectancy could encourage use condoms, even though unprotected sex is the more investment in human capital in developing greatest risk factor for HIV/AIDS.Along with other countries. By promoting safe health behaviors, risky behaviors, unprotected sex could deprive Governments could increase the likelihood that developing economies of productive human capital poor youths will escape poverty, the WDR 2007 many years into the future, according to the World reported. Development Report 2007. Continueonpage3 Page1 KnowledgeManagementApplications (Continuefrompage1) simple: Development and growth of the global econ- included Mr. Songpol Jetanawanich, Director, The omy in recent years has been increasingly driven by Learning Empowerment Institute, Ms. Sriwipa Liang- knowledge," Mr. Porter added. "In East Asia, coun- Pansakul, Department of Health, Ministry of Public tries such as South Korea, Taiwan and even China Health,Mr.TaweesinChatchalermvith,Organization have also demonstrated the role of knowledge gen- Development Manager, Siam Cement Industry Co., Ltd. eration, dissemination, manage- Mr. Johnson also contrib- ment, and use in promoting their uted to this discussion. rapid growth and development." Theafternoonsessionbegan The World Bank Institute es- with Mr. Johnson's presen- tablished the Knowledge for tation on "Communities of Development Program, or K4D, Practice (CoPs): How Can as a follow-up to the 1998 World Intra and Inter Organiza- Development Report, which fo- tion CoP Build Individual cused on the important role that Capacity for Innovation knowledge plays in social and and Problem Solving." economic development. This pro- TheCoPexperiencesharing gramhelpscountriestoassesstheir session was moderated by strengthens and weaknesses in the Dr. Yuwanuch Tinnalak. knowledge-based economy and to Panelists for the afternoon design policies which will enhance session were Mr. Suradej their competitiveness, said Erik Dejkumwong, Director Caldwell Johnson, a World Bank Sharing the World Bank experience: Erik C. Johnson duringof the Pichitr Development Knowledge Management Officer, hispresentation Foundation, Ms. Suppalak who was the key speaker during the seminar. Hiriwattanawong, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, Dr. Prong Kongsubto, Director of Spansion "Institutions in the public, private or non-profit sec- (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Mr. Johnson himself. tors have also come to realize the central role which "knowledge" can play in enhancing the effectiveness For more information on the K4D program and of their operations," Mr. Johnson said. "This begins knowledge management at the World Bank, please with investments in human resources and leveraging visit:http://www.worldbank.org/ks theroleinformationtechnology. However,theseinsti- tutions are also beginning to devote considerable at- For more information on the World Bank support to tentiontoharnessingtheexplicitandtacitknowledge Thailand,pleasevisithttp://www.worldbank.or.th. generatedbytheiremployees.Asacomplementtoits work on the macroeconomic level, the K4D program is also helping organizations to apply the tools and approaches of knowledge management to enhance performance at the micro level." The seminar took place at the Grand Hotel on Ratchadapisek Road. It brought together national andinternationalexpertstodiscuss ways to improve KM effectiveness in organizations, and for the Thai audience to learn about Communi- ties of Practice. (A Community of Practice is a group of practitioners within, or across, organizations, who regularly share knowledge and information to improve their professional capacity). After Mr. Johnson's first presenta- tion on the critical success factors derived from the World Bank's ex- perience in implementing KM, Dr. Prapon Phasukyud, KMI Director of Communication & Learning Net- work, led a group of panelists from Thailand in a lively discussion on More than 300 participants attended the seminar, co-organized by the World Bank and the the Thai experience. Discussants KnowledgeManagementInstitute Page2 PromoteHIV/AIDSAwarenessAmongYouth (Continuefrompage1) With that in mind, the World Bank Thailand Youth Club has been focusing on promoting HIV/AIDS awareness among young people. In February ­ the Month of Love for many youths around the world, the Youth Club organized two events to encourage youth dialogue on HIV/AIDS. The "Concert in the Park" on February 10 aimed to raise funds for the HIV/AIDS center at a temple in central Thailand; The "Safe Sex or No Sex" campaign on February 13 aimed to encourage youth to choose carefully and protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. DJPlaKungashepromotedSafeSextoconcert-goers children. Every month, the temple pays up to four millionbahttocareforthem,includingthecostoffood, medicine, cremation expenses, and administrative fees. Financial support from the Thai Government, at 100,000 baht a month, is hardly enough to help the temple. And donations from temple goers are often too small to make up the difference. The February 10th concert was designed to help the temple meet the shortfall. It was held in Bangkok's BenjakittiPark,withmorethan120peopleattending, includingcollegestudentsandparkvisitors.Through Musicians performing during the February 10th Concert in donations collected at the park, in Siam Square, at thePark schools and colleges around Bangkok, as well as at the weekend Chatuchak Market, the Youth Club "It's closer to us than we think," said Phochara raised 200,346 baht for Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu. Vichalai, 19, a Thammasat University freshman and President of the World Bank Youth Club, of HIV/ "This (youth) program presents a great opportunity AIDS."Wearepronetotheinfectionunlessweprotect foryoungpeopletotakepartinsocialdevelopment," ourselves. But we either hear about HIV/AIDS only said Phra Alongkot Phonlamuk, 52, the temple's from the adults, or are excluded from the decision- founding father. "Almost 100,000 HIV-infected making that could affect us. This is why the Youth patients in our country are young people. If the Club wanted to organize these events to promote situation continued, I'm worried that the number HIV/AIDSknowledgeamongyoungpeople,aswell of young HIV-infected people could reach a million as to encourage them to share the knowledge with in five years. It is very important to keep the youth their peers." involved, otherwise the problem will never be solved." The first event was a collaborative effort between Continueonpage 4 the World Bank and Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand and Bangkok Rainbow Organization ­ both are non-governmental organizations advocating HIV/AIDS awareness, as well as gay and lesbian's rights. Another key partner in this program was Thammarak Foundation, which manages the HIV/ AIDS center at Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu. The temple is located in central region's Lop Buri province, 154 kilometers north of Bangkok. Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu has been caring for full-blown AIDS patients since 1992, when information about HIV/AIDS infec- tions in Thailand was still not widely avail- able. It started out as a small hospice with only eight beds ­ now the temple has 400. It also takes care of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Of all the 2,000 people under the temple's care now, 1,300 of them are SomeoftheT-shirtspaintedbyyouthcelebritiesduringtheevent Page3 Continuefrompage3 Looking Ahead Another World Bank Youth Club program followed less than a week later. Under the title "Learn to March 12: The Express Your Love the Right Way," the event was "World Develop- designed to be a forum for youth dialogue on Safe mentReport(WDR) Sex or No Sex ­ one day ahead of St. Valentine's 2007: Development Day. During this event, students from Bangkok and the Next Gen- universities participated in a debate on "Safe Sex eration" seminar, is Better than Abstinence." Following the debate, 2:00 pm, Sasin Con- Dr. Panpimol Lotrakul, a child and adolescent ference Room, the psychologist, led the discussion on how to protect Sasa Patasala Build- oneself from risky behaviors while being in love. ing, Chulalongkorn Youth celebrities participating in this event painted University. the Love the Right Way slogan on T-shirts, which they then wore around Siam Square to promote the This year, the campaign. During the rally around Siam Square, report emphasizes hundreds of red roses were handed out to other the importance of youths, along with pamphlets promoting the Love investmentinyoungpeopleindevelopingcountries the Right Way campaign. and recommends policies that will help youth develop themselves and contribute to society. Mr. Emmanuel Y. Jimenez, the Lead Author of WDR 2007, will discuss why youth investment is critical for development and the key transition points during which investments are needed, as well as explain how governments can develop "youth- friendly" policies to accelerate development in their countries. After his presentation, there will be a panel discussion to put the issue of youth and development into the Thai context. To register for this event and for more information ontheWDR,pleasecontact Tinnakorn Sareenun,at 0-2686-8327,email:tsareenun@worldbank.org. World Bank Youth Club members getting ready for Siam Squarerally March 13: "Investment, Trade and Transport "We young women have to choose carefully and Facilitation in ACMECS" - a workshop co- appropriately,evenwhileweareinlove,"Pacharaporn organized by the Office of the National Economic Panomwan Na Ayutthaya, 20, a Chulalongkorn and Social Development Board (NESDB), the University freshman, told reporters during the rally. World Bank and the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya "Don't let peer pressure force you into making a - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy bad choice. Think about protecting yourself before (ACMECS) Business Council, 8:00 AM, the getting involved with anyone sexually." Ballroom, Dusit Thani Hotel. For more information on World Bank Youth Engage- Thepurposeofthisworkshopistotakestock(from ment Program,please contactTinnakorn Sareenun,at various perspectives) of the current situation in 0-2686-8327,email:tsareenun@worldbank.org. respect of cross-border private investment, trade and transport in the ACMECS region (covering Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam), and to propose ways for governments, private sectors and donors can collectively facilitate cross-border movement of goods. For more information on the workshop, please contact Cheanchom Thongjen, at 0-2686-8378, email:cthongjen@worldbank.org. Forcommentsorquestionsaboutthisnewsletter, Tel.:0-2686-8300 pleasecontactMr.TinnakornSareenun Fax:0-2686-8301 TheWorldBankOffice,Bangkok Email:tsareenun@worldbank.org SiamTower,30thFloor,989RamaIRoad,Pathumwan,Bangkok10330 Website:http://www.worldbank.or.th Page4