The Nurses' Association is collecting signatures opposing the “Community Volunteer Nurses” policy, warning about risks to public safety and emphasizing that “human lives are not policy testing grounds,” while presenting three demands to the government.
The Nurses' Association of Thailand posted on their Facebook page inviting professional nurses, medical and public health personnel, and the general public to sign a petition opposing the “Community Volunteer Nurses (CVN)” policy by 23 Oct 2026 to protect nursing professional standards, safeguard public safety, and maintain the quality of Thailand's healthcare system.
They express their opposition to the implementation of the Community Volunteer Nurses policy.
They attached a petition document for signing against the policy.Click here.
Meanwhile, a strong wave of opposition has emerged within Thailand's public health sector after the Nurses' Association launched a major campaign inviting professional nurses, medical personnel, and the public nationwide to sign a petition opposing the “Community Volunteer Nurses (CVN)” policy by 23 October 2026. The association also released a full statement warning about the long-term impact on healthcare quality and public safety.
The objection arises because the policy allows individuals with only 240 hours of short-term training to care for vulnerable and at-risk populations, such as bedridden patients, the elderly, diabetes and hypertension patients, pregnant and postpartum women, children, psychiatric patients, and those discharged from hospitals.
The Nurses' Association points out that, according to international standards, caring for these vulnerable groups requires the clinical competence and precise decision-making of professional nurses, who undergo intensive training of four years (over 3,000 hours) to assess warning signs, analyze disease severity, and promptly refer patients.
“Short-term training cannot substitute for a professional license. Delays or errors in assessing symptoms by even a few minutes can lead to disability, severe illness, or loss of life,” the statement says.
Besides risks to patients, the association also expresses concern for the community volunteer nurses themselves, noting that assigning tasks beyond their legally supported knowledge and abilities may expose the volunteers, trainers, supervisors, and delegators to significant legal risks if errors occur in practice.
The association emphasizes that while volunteer work has value as “supporting forces,” it must not cross the boundary to replace licensed professional practitioners.
In response to claims of workforce shortages, the Nurses' Association suggests that if the government has the budget, it should address the root cause by hiring over 7,000 qualified professional nurses currently awaiting employment, ensuring the public receives care from properly qualified professionals.
To protect professional standards and public safety, the Nurses' Association of Thailand has presented three demands to the government as follows:
1. Immediately review the policy, delay further expansion, assess risks to patients, and disclose oversight criteria transparently.
2. Clearly define work boundaries, strictly separating support tasks from professional duties, involving the Nursing Council and relevant professional bodies in setting standards.
3. Review training curricula and responsibilities, vet trainers, supervisors, and organizers to prevent practices or training that violate laws or professional standards.
Summary Reflecting Their Intent.
The Nurses' Association of Thailand concludes by noting that vulnerable populations need more than just home visits; they require a trusted system of safe, standardized assessment and assistance with clear accountability.
“The lives and health of the public are not policy testing grounds. Safety must be the foremost condition of every health policy.”
They call on all sectors to join in signing the petition opposing the CVN policy to collectively sustain the standards of Thailand's public health system.