PUBLIC POLICY MANAGEMENT TO ENHANCE WELL-BEING IN LEISURE ACTIVITIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

This article presented an analytical synthesis of knowledge on rest well-being in the digital era by examining the current situation, contributing factors, public policy frameworks, and international experiences to propose appropriate policy directions for Thailand. The discussion was based on the review and synthesis of academic literature, research publications, legal documents, government reports, and publications from international organizations to integrate perspectives on well-being, digital technology, and public policy. The analysis indicated that the rapid expansion of digital technology had transformed lifestyles and working patterns, blurring the boundaries between work and personal life. As a result, insufficient sleep, stress, burnout, and declining quality of life had become increasingly significant, affecting physical health, mental health, labor productivity, and broader social and economic outcomes. Although Thailand had established legal and institutional mechanisms related to health promotion, no specific public policy had directly addressed rest well-being in the digital era. International experiences from France, Australia, Japan, and South Korea demonstrated that policy approaches, including the Right to Disconnect, working-hour regulation, and digital well-being promotion, should be designed in accordance with each country's social, economic, and cultural context. The article proposed that Thailand should recognize digital rest well-being as a distinct public policy agenda, strengthen collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, academia, and civil society, promote healthy workplace initiatives and digital well-being literacy, and examine the feasibility of introducing legal measures protecting employees' right to disconnect in accordance with the Thai labor context. The article also proposed the Digital Well-being Policy Framework, which integrated problem situations, policy mechanisms, and implementation strategies at the individual, organizational, and governmental levels to support future public policy development and academic advancement.