In 2018, the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) reported that Thailand had 3,625,048 underprivileged children, and more than 2.8 million Thai children were facing severe educational inequality. Although the government has a policy of 15 years of free education, in reality, these Thai children are unable to bear the cost of education because they live in extreme poverty. This is because, after the COVID-19 situation, the income of poor and extremely poor households has decreased to only 1,039 baht per month, which is an average income of only 34 baht per day, while the international poverty line is 80 baht per day.

Mr. Kraiyos Patravadi, Manager of the Fund for Educational Equality (FEE), pointed out that in developing human resources, children and youth must not drop out of the education system any further because after the COVID-19 crisis, the Thai economy has not recovered and the inflation situation has exacerbated educational inequality. Children who are already poor are dropping out of the system, while rich children have more opportunities. Inequality is widening. He emphasized that vulnerable families must be taken care of before it is too late.

According to the Quality Learning Foundation, more than 500,000 Thai youth aged 6-15 have dropped out of the education system, becoming unskilled workers and engaging in risky behaviors in society, while educational opportunities between the rich and the poor differ by as much as 20 percent.

The group of abandoned or orphaned children is the most concerning due to they are in difficult situations. Their quality of life is inferior to other children. They have less opportunity to receive educational services and development in physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and mental. These are the reasons why the project Shining Orphanage.