On May 11, 1999, the cabinet approved the Public Sector Management Reform Plan under the framework of the modern state administration system. The reform plan consisted of the following 5 main plans:

• The adjustment of the roles and responsibilities of the government sector
• The reform of financial and budgetary systems with focus being on performance-based resource management
• The review of the personnel management system
• The adjustment in the legal system
• The changes in management paradigms, culture and value

The then government regarded service efficiency and transparency of management in the public sector for optimal benefit to be gained by the people as being important. The Reform Plan, reinforced by the government’s awareness regarding the importance of better management in the public sector, had further resulted in adjustments in the structure, role and duty of organizations in the public sector to keep pace with the current situation and respond to the country’s overall social and economic development. At that time, the Department of Public Welfare was a governmental agency charged with duties that involved each and every step of people’s life from birth to death. The department provided services relating to social welfare, welfare protection, rehabilitation and development for the target groups of the destitute, homeless, beggars, and persons facing other social problems. Services available also included welfare and development for the hill tribes, members of self-help land settlements, support given to welfare services as provided by non-governmental organizations and civil society. Huge change with regard to the organization structure took place under the Public Sector Management Reform Plan with the transfer of the department to be under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security in line with the Restructuring of the Ministries and Departments Act of 2002. Under the reform, the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security was clearly specified which involved social development, the creation of justice and equality in the society, a better quality of life of the people, security for the life of each individual, family institution and communities covering the target groups which were the whole population within the country.

The Department of Social Development and Welfare (DSDW) was established to be responsible for the duties which used to be carried out by the Department of Public Welfare, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and the Department of Accelerated Rural Development, Ministry of Interior on the part involving with employment and income generation. The duties of DSDW were those as appeared in the Ministerial Regulation concerning Organising the Structure of the Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security B.E. 2545 (2002). They include the provision of social work and social welfare services for the disadvantaged, the poor, the destitute and persons facing social problems. Problem solving and further assistance for those groups of people can be in the forms of institutional care and referral of cases to other involved agencies. Services also include support given to local communities and local authorities to enable them to render welfare services to the target groups who encounter social problems so that they can lead their life and become self-reliant while maintaining human dignity. The organizations under the Department include Public Sector Development Group, Internal Audit Group, Secretariat to the Department, Strategy and Planning Division, Office of the National Committee on Social Welfare, Civil Society and Volunteer Work Division, Welfare Protection and Quality of Life Promotion Division and Self-help Land Settlement and Hill Tribe Development Division.