Lessons from International OVOP Policy Strategies: A Conceptual Framework for Developing Thailand's OTOP Policy Toward Community Sustainability (2025)

Abstract

This academic consists purposes 1. to analyze lessons learned from OVOP policy strategies of foreign countries and 2. to propose a conceptual framework for developing Thailand’s OTOP policy toward community sustainability. This study employs documentary analysis, examining policy strategies from five countries: China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, using Japan’s OVOP concept as a benchmark and the CIPP Model as an analytical framework. The study results are then used to develop a conceptual framework for addressing the current problems of Thailand’s OTOP policy, which focuses on sales volume and business entrepreneurship, resulting in products lacking uniqueness and widespread imitation, which is inconsistent with developing strong and self-reliant communities. The findings reveal that factors contributing to successful community sustainability include 1) Context – setting goals that focus on community sustainability 2) Input – systematic preparation including plans, supporting agencies, and resources3) Process – building understanding of OVOP principles, promoting community participation, and continuous human resource development and 4) Product – measuring success through community strength and self-reliance. The key lesson from this study is that achieving community sustainability does not depend solely on goal-setting or budget allocation, but rather on processes that prioritize internal development and community participation. Based on these findings, the author proposes a conceptual framework for developing Thailand’s OTOP policy toward community sustainability, guided by the core principles of OVOP, with operational guidelines following the CIPP Model for each dimension, synthesized from lessons learned from foreign policy strategies.