Healthcare and Education Professions’ Perception of Government Health Crisis Management in Thailand

Government plays a significant role in providing public services to its citizens. When crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic threaten the public, the leading role of government becomes crucial. This study examines the perceptions of healthcare and education professionals of the level of success of the Thai government’s actions and policy implementations when responding to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the mixed-method research approach showed that health professionals thought the government’s actions pertaining to ‘risk communication (to the public)’ was ‘good.’ However, both professions thought the government’s reaction to the pandemic was ‘fair’ in the following domains: risk assessment, regulatory actions, border control and travel bans, proactive risk management, and economic and budgetary responses. Overall, according to the findings, the government’s response to the pandemic left significant room for improvement.