UNICEF Thailand and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) are stepping up efforts to expand access to quality childcare, including exploring simpler registration pathways for private providers and measures to strengthen service quality, according to a UNICEF press release published on 14 October 2026. The release said the joint effort was the focus of a 10 October visit to Ubon Ratchathani by UNICEF Representative for Thailand Ken Legins, MSDHS Minister's Advisor Anekchai Rueangrattanakorn and senior ministry officials, who met private providers about registration, staffing and affordability challenges.

The release said demand is especially high among families with children under two, who are too young for public early childhood development centres. It reported that around 40 per cent of these families say they would like to use childcare, yet fewer than 3 per cent of children under 18 months attend formal childcare, according to a UNICEF survey. Thailand has around 1,100 registered private childcare centres, including 19 in Ubon Ratchathani, but no data on unregistered centres, the release said. It cited typical private childcare costs of THB 3,500–5,000 a month, while half of surveyed families said they cannot pay more than THB 1,000.

UNICEF said the two sides were exploring ways to make registration simpler and more accessible while keeping essential child safety standards, potentially including child development materials, caregiver training and other support for smaller providers.