11 November 2024
Thailand’s National Statistical Office (NSO), in collaboration with UNICEF, has taken a significant step toward enriching data-driven decision-making by enhancing its Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities. Aligned with the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey’s (MICS) commitment to improving data quality and accessibility, this focus on GIS techniques is set to provide deeper insights into the country’s diverse communities, enabling policymakers and development partners to craft more effective interventions.
By utilising GIS datasets, the NSO will be able to analyse spatial patterns related to health, education, and welfare. This enhancement allows for a more nuanced understanding of local disparities and needs, enabling targeted strategies to improve the lives of children and families throughout Thailand.
As part of this effort, NSO staff participated in hands-on training covering essential GIS concepts, the MICS GIS framework, Geographic Anonymisation Methodology, Survey Boundaries, Geospatial Covariates, and the Degree of Urbanisation in MICS. This capacity-building effort ensures that the integration of geospatial data is conducted responsibly, maintaining the privacy of survey respondents while maximising the utility of the data.
As an outcome of this workshop, the GIS datasets for the Thailand MICS 2022, including the GPS datasets and Survey Boundaries, have been officially released. These datasets are a valuable resource for policy-makers, researchers, and development partners in Thailand, offering a solid foundation for spatial analysis.
This workshop marks another milestone in MICS GIS, demonstrating the impact of sustained capacity-building efforts to enhance geospatial data utilisation. By expanding technical capabilities within Thailand’s NSO, this initiative shows how strong, reliable data can help address development needs and make a positive impact across the country.
The Thailand MICS 2022 GIS data is accessible on the GIS Data Repository web page.
