This study was conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand under the project COVID-19 Social and Economic Response and Recovery, with support from the Government of Japan.

This study was made possible through the collaboration and guidance of the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development (DWF) at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Their willingness to acknowledge the needs of sex workers and to develop interventions that include them is commendable. The active participation of sex workers was central to the design of the research and the implementation of data gathering activities. The partnerships with community-based organisations (CBOs) was indispensable. The participating CBOs worked tirelessly to mobilise sex workers in a particularly difficult context of restricted mobility arising from COVID-19 measures. They were creative in responding to different challenges. The CBOs were as follows:

- Empower (Chiang Mai and Udon Thani)

- Mplus Foundation (Chiang Mai)

- Rainbow Sky Association (Songkla)

- Service Workers In Group/SWING (Bangkok, Pattaya/Chonburi, Sra Kaew and Udon Thani)

The contributions made by sex workers through completing the surveys and participating in focus group discussions extended the understanding of demand and supply issues pertaining to finding alternative employment and training opportunities.