Topic: 2024-Supply Chain Stability
Country: Thailand
Delegate Name: Jessica Liu
Special Political Committee
Supply Chain Stability
Kingdom of Thailand
Jessica Liu
Forest Hills Northern
Issues in recent years, such as the global COVID-19 pandemic, political tensions, and natural disasters, bring to light the network vulnerability and the need for more robust and resilient supply chains. The effects of global crises like COVID-19 are especially apparent in manufacturing, a large industry crucial to many countries, which is at risk due to management and production inefficiencies. Similarly, political tensions, like those between the Russian Federation and Ukraine or in the South China Sea, further limit resource access. Meanwhile, natural disasters and logistical bottlenecks, such as port and canal congestion, continue to disrupt the flow of goods, complicating efforts to maintain economic stability and access to the material. Though the UN has already taken steps to prevent instability through the UN Global Compact, which encourages businesses to adopt sustainable practices and provides guidance on how to do so, as seen in the “Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement,” threats toward global shipping and manufacturing continue to arise. As international trade is increasingly interconnected, these issues are most important.
Thailand recognizes the importance of stable, reliable supply chains to the deliverance of critical goods and the economic well-being of all nations. As a significant global supplier of essential goods such as machinery, electronics, foods, wood, chemicals, automobiles, plastics, etc., a leading export partner to ASEAN, the United States, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and the European Union, as well as having an export-dependent economy, Thailand views the current unreliability supply chain status as a direct threat to national and regional prosperity. Historically, Thailand has faced problems such as the 2011 floods in Thailand. According to Wikipedia, “Sixty-five of Thailand’s 76 provinces were declared flood disaster zones, and over 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 sq mi) of farmland was damaged… The World Bank has estimated 1,425 trillion baht (US$46.5 billion) in economic damages and losses due to flooding… Disruptions to manufacturing supply chains affected regional automobile production and caused a global shortage of hard disk drives…” The extensive damage caused by the 2011 floods, which disrupted essential manufacturing chains, provides an example of the issues the UN faces today.
Thailand is fully aware of the damages brought about by instability in supply chains and strongly urges international collaboration to ensure and strengthen the flow of goods. This is especially crucial in the aftermath of the global crisis due to COVID-19 and natural disasters. Collaborations with Thailand’s non-conflict diplomacy would create space for economic cooperation to solve current issues, such as the expansion of FTA negotiations with major trading partners, the upgrading of national standards, and increasing the role of Thailand in the international arena. It is imperative that companies implement management practices to mitigate the impact of sudden crises and lead to long-term resilience. Diversifying suppliers and transport routes to improve congestion and prevent single points of failure is also crucial in building collective resilience against disruptions in the supply chain.
Works Cited:
“Economy of Thailand – Wikipedia.” Wikipedia.org, 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand. It was accessed on 14 Nov. 2024.
“Supply Chain Sustainability | UN Global Compact.” Unglobalcompact.org, 13 Nov. 2024, unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/our-work/supply-chain. It was accessed on 14 Nov. 2024.
“Decent Work Toolkit | UN Global Compact.” Unglobalcompact.org, 2024, unglobalcompact.org/take-action/sustainableprocurement. It was accessed on 14 Nov. 2024.
To Contributors. “Major Floods in Thailand.” Wikipedia.org, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 5 Oct. 2011, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Thailand_floods. It was accessed on 14 Nov. 2024.
“2011 Thailand Floods – Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Planning.” Preventionweb.net, 10 Feb. 2011, www.preventionweb.net/publication/2011-thailand-floods-rapid-assessment-resilient-recovery-and-reconstruction-planning. It was accessed on 14 Nov. 2024.
