Towards Effective Policy Development for Promoting Clean Technologies in the Thai Cosmetics Industry

บทคัดย่อ

The Thai cosmetics industry has become one of the most dynamic sectors in Asia, contributing significantly to economic growth, employment, and exports. However, its rapid expansion has generated sustainability challenges, including reliance on imported raw materials, extensive plastic packaging, and fragmented supply chains. To address these issues, the Thai government has introduced macro-level frameworks such as the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, the Thailand 4.0 Strategy, and the Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP). While these initiatives provide a strong foundation, they lack sector-specific measures tailored to the cosmetics industry, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and community-based producers (OTOP) at a disadvantage.

This study employed a qualitative research design combining policy document analysis with in-depth interviews of policymakers, entrepreneurs, and experts. Findings highlight four key barriers to clean technology adoption: (1) complexity in accessing policy support, (2) fragmented support ecosystems, (3) high costs with limited financial incentives, and (4) weak domestic demand despite growing international awareness.

Based on these insights, the study proposes six policy directions: establishing a dedicated clean-tech facilitation unit, enhancing public–private–academic collaboration, designing targeted financial mechanisms, providing sector-specific training, implementing input quality assurance and verification systems (IQAVs), and activating domestic market demand. These recommendations emphasize the need to bridge the policy–practice gap by linking macro-level frameworks with industry-level realities, enabling a more inclusive and sustainable transition for Thailand’s cosmetics industry.