Abstract
Objective: To explore policies and effects of Free Trade Agreement on nursing workforce.
Research design: Qualitative research design Methods: 1. Relevant documents were collected; content was attracted and classified into research questions. 2.Ten key informants were interviewed under semistructured
questions to summarize policies, state plan, problems and effects of FTA, AFTA, AFAS and
AEC related to health care services and nursing workforce. Results: This study revealed that Thailand had
a good potential to be a World Class Health Care Hub. Notable cost, quality of medical care and Thai
hospitality led to a rapid increasing number of foreigners who came to Thailand seeking for medical
treatment. Number of registered nurse working in private hospitals in 2010 had increased for 66.08 %
comparing to the year 1999; the highest increasing rate was 83.59% in 2007. On the other hand, it deteriorated
nurse shortage in Thailand and un-equivalent accessibility to health care among Thai people. The
Priority Integration Sectors (PIS) of AEC targeted in 2015 facilitates travelling across boarder among ASEAN
people but two anticipated problems were identified; 1) aggravating the increasing number of patient
seeking medical treatment and worsen the situation of nurse shortage, and 2) nurse migration from ASEAN
countries. As nursing education systems are much different among ASEAN countries, problems of unequivalent
education of nursing personnel are encountered and may harm patients. Preparation for FTA
in health care services in Thailand has not been very well arranged. Strategic plan, action plan and hosting
organization were not clearly identified resulting in fragmentation of work of related parties and imbalance
services provided to Thais. Policy implications: Leading organization is essential for driving nation
strategies of the government. Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of labor, Ministry of Education and
Ministry of Commerce must be liable. Roles and responsibility of private hospitals must be heightened
and be integrated with the government to balance benefit and loss from being World Class Health Care
Hub for better health service system and good quality of life of Thai people, ultimate goal of the nation.
