For Thailand’s biodiversity finance perspective, UNDP has conducted the review of biodiversity-related expenditures for all government agencies from 2016 – 2020. The key findings show that the bulk of biodiversity finance in Thailand come from government budget. Budget data shows that responsibility for biodiversity-related activities rests mainly on three core environmental agencies – Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and Royal Forest Department. All three are within Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, placing the ministry at the center of biodiversity conservation and management efforts in Thailand. This provides a constant stream of funds necessary for maintaining conservation and research activities in the country. Though the total biodiversity-related expenditures fluctuate, the proportion of the figures to Thailand’s nominal gross domestic product (GDP) remains constant at 0.08 percent from 2017 to 2020. However, when comparing biodiversity expenditures with total expenditures, there is a slight downward trend. The figure dropped from 0.53 percent in 2016 to 0.46 percent in 2018 to 0.38 percent in 2020. For 2020, the findings show that approximately THB12 billion (US$360 million) per year has been allocated for ‘biodiversity action agenda’ in the country. Data also shows the task of safeguarding biodiversity cannot be accomplished by environmental agencies alone. The work of a wide range of agencies is also crucial to maintaining and developing biodiversity resources.
