NIDA Poll Finds Majority of Thais Unaware of Community Nurse Volunteer Program; Public Trust Varies by Qualifications

Key summary

A NIDA Institute for Development Studies poll conducted between October 19-21, 2026 (B.E. 2569) surveyed 1,310 residents across Thailand's central, northern, northeastern, southern, and eastern regions regarding the Community Nurse Volunteer (Osop.) program. Results indicate that 51.76% of respondents had never heard of or understood the initiative, while only 27.02% were well-informed. Trust in volunteers varies significantly by background: those with nursing licenses and 30 hours of training received high trust from 64.12% of respondents, whereas graduates of general non-health bachelor's degrees with 240 hours of training faced skepticism, with only 27.18% expressing moderate trust and 19.54% expressing little to no trust. Additionally, 49.08% of the public opposed selecting volunteers based on interviews alone, and while 51.76% support having one volunteer per subdistrict, that same percentage believes more than one is needed.