Empowering Citizens, Strengthening Insurance, and Preparing for a Changing Climate.
Thailand is already feeling the growing impacts of climate change. From severe flooding in Bangkok to extreme heat, worsening air quality, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns in major urban centers, these risks affect daily life, property values, and long-term economic resilience.
For residents, climate risk often feels abstract—until disaster strikes. For insurers, the lack of accessible, property-level climate data creates uncertainty in risk assessment and product design. This challenge presents a clear opportunity for innovation that benefits both the public and the insurance sector.
Why Climate Risk Data Matters
Accurate, modern climate risk information empowers people to make better decisions—about where they live, how they protect their property, and what insurance coverage they need. It also supports a more transparent, fair, and resilient insurance market.
As Thailand’s insurance regulator, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) plays a critical role in fostering industry stability, consumer protection, and forward-looking innovation. One powerful way to advance these goals is by improving public access to climate risk data.
A Proven International Model
A successful example already exists.
In the United States, the Connecticut Insurance Department, in partnership with the First Street Foundation—a leading provider of physical climate risk analytics—has launched a Free Climate Risk Mapping Tool for residents. This public-facing platform allows individuals to better understand climate risks tied to specific properties.
Key features of the Connecticut tool include:
- Free Public Access
Residents can use the platform at no cost. - Property-Specific Insights
Users enter an address to view interactive maps and detailed risk assessments for flooding, fire, wind, air quality, and extreme heat. - Advanced, Peer-Reviewed Data
The tool is powered by proprietary climate models that help individuals, businesses, and governments plan for both current and future risks. - Simple and Intuitive Design
Complex climate data is presented in a way that is easy to understand and act upon.
A Vision for Thailand
We believe this model could be thoughtfully adapted for Thailand—starting with Bangkok and expanding to other major cities. Through collaboration with private-sector experts, universities, or research institutions, a Thailand-specific climate risk mapping platform could be developed to reflect local geography, climate conditions, and urban infrastructure.
The Benefits Are Significant
A free climate risk mapping tool would create value across multiple dimensions:
For the Public
- Greater awareness of climate-related risks
- Better-informed insurance purchasing decisions
- Encouragement of proactive risk mitigation and property protection
For Insurance Companies
- More accurate and equitable risk-based pricing
- Improved underwriting models
- Opportunities to develop innovative, climate-relevant insurance products
For National Policy and Resilience
- Strong support for Thailand’s climate adaptation and disaster preparedness strategies
- A shared data foundation for government, industry, and communities
- Increased transparency and public trust
A Leadership Opportunity
By initiating or supporting a project of this nature, the OIC would demonstrate clear leadership in consumer protection and climate resilience. More importantly, it would help position Thailand’s insurance industry—and its citizens—to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Accessible climate risk data is no longer a luxury. It is a vital public resource. A free climate risk mapping tool for Thailand would be a meaningful step toward a safer, more informed, and more resilient future.
