The Deputy Labour Minister reported continued collaboration with the Ministry of Justice to conduct vocational training for inmates to build a career, giving inmates a new life after serving their sentence.
Deputy Labour Minister Prof. Narumon Pinyosinwat said that the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Justice had established cooperation in skill development and employment for those in the process of behavioural development, in the custody of the Department of Corrections and the Department of Child Observation and Protection. The effort promotes inmates to be able to live in society after serving their sentence. Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan emphasize providing opportunities and creating equality in society. The Ministry of Labour’s Department of Skill Development, therefore accepting the said policy, continues to operate training to provide professional knowledge to inmates close to finishing their sentence. The initiative is in line with the “create, elevate and give; uniting Thailand to build a nation” concept, that is, to provide opportunities for vulnerable groups and access to government services, providing equal opportunities with other workers.
The Deputy Labour Minister continued that in 2021, the Department of Skill Development’s goal is to develop skills for 1,880 inmates and youths in the detention center by assigning the Institute and the Office of Skill Development located in all areas across the country to coordinate with provincial prisons and observation centers. The collaboration will include selecting inmates or youths in the detention centers to attend vocational training to gain knowledge and skill to promote self-employment after serving their sentence. Training courses are short courses for 3-5 days. The courses are easy to understand and not complicated, promoting skills in demand by the labour market such as tilers, aluminum frame assemblers, artificial wood tilers, plumbers, bricklayers, plasterers, indoor electricians, small commercial air conditioning technicians, and Thai food entrepreneurs in Thai desserts, bakery and pastries, and arts for example.
The training courses are adapted to suit current situations and technologies such as online product sales and language skills, to promote employment opportunities both locally and internationally. Between November 17-30, 2020, the Tak Skill Development Office offers training courses in English for work and Mandarin for communication for inmates in the Tak Provincial Prison and Mae Sot Prison between November 16-25, 2020. In addition, The Bangkok Skill Development Institute 13 has scheduled training in English for communication for 20 female inmates between November 30, 2020 – December 4, 2020, at the Thonburi Women Correctional Institution, Bang Bon, Bangkok.
“Continuing such cooperation to create equality for all worker groups, especially vulnerable groups, provides these workers opportunities to work. It will help solve the problem of labour shortages and give a new life to those who want to live a normal life and reduce chances of repeat offenses,” the Deputy Labour Minister concluded.
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Division of Public Relations
20 November 2020
