Nursing shortages continue to be a critical issue in many countries despite the effortsof governments, and various nursing and health policies to overcome these. This study used apolicy analysis framework and a mixed method approach to collect and analyze data regarding thecontext, processes, actors and content of the Plan for Increasing Production and Development ofEducational Management in Nursing, enacted to address nursing shortages in Thailand. Data wereobtained from a review of documents, and semi-structured interviews using a questionnaire with28 key informants involved in the Plan’s development and were analyzed using content analysisand Policy Maker software. Findings revealed that the contexts influencing the development ofthe Plan were: inadequate production of nursing graduates; lack of coordination in producingand utilizing nurses; unachieved quality in nursing education; a requirement to adhere to othernational Thai plans; changes in demographic and social structures; economic growth; and theThai Cabinet resolution on the shortage of professions in 1988. Policy-making processes beganwith identifying the nursing shortage issue, finding appropriate channels to advance the issue, andmaking proposals to the Thai Cabinet. Key actors influencing policy development included threenursing deans, the Chair of the Thai Deans’ Consortium for Nursing, the University Affairs Board,the Minister of University Affairs, and the Working Subcommittee. Content included goals andstrategies for achieving a nurse-to-population ratio of 1:950 and producing competent nurses.Our findings demonstrate the significance of continued nursing workforce policy involvement tohelp address current nursing shortages and can help inform the future development of nursingworkforce policies in Thailand and elsewhere.