NIDA Poll Finds Majority of Thais Unaware of Community Nurse Volunteers; Trust Varies by Qualifications

Key summary

A NIDA Poll survey conducted between October 19-21, 2026, involving 1,310 respondents across Thailand's central, northern, northeastern, southern, and eastern regions found that 51.76% of the public had never heard of or understood the Community Nurse Volunteer (Osop) program. Regarding trust in Osop candidates, 64.12% expressed high trust in nurses with professional licenses and 30 hours of training, while only 48.02% showed moderate trust in those with general bachelor's degrees and 120 hours of training. The poll also revealed that 49.08% of respondents disagreed with selecting volunteers based on interviews alone, and 51.76% agreed to having one Osop per subdistrict but suggested more might be needed.