May 14, 2025 – Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Labour, Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, and other senior officials, visited the Republic of Korea to lead the “Thailand MOL Overseas Matching in the Republic of Korea” project in Seoul. The project aims to open new labour markets for Thai workers and promote legal overseas employment.
Mr. Phiphat stated that over 35 South Korean companies and five industry associations joined the event, including the Specialty Contractors Association, which represents over 60,000 businesses across construction, services, and food industries. Twenty-one licensed Thai recruitment agencies also participated. The Ministry targets deploying no fewer than 10,000 Thai workers to South Korea this year. The event included business matching sessions, presentations by the Department of Employment, the Department of Skill Development, and the Social Security Office, aimed at assuring South Korean employers that hiring Thai workers through official channels is “safe, transparent, and yields high-quality workers.”
Mr. Phiphat emphasized that the initiative is more than a hiring event; it represents Thailand’s vision to promote legal overseas employment, increase opportunities, increase income, and safeguard Thai workers’ rights in all dimensions. He added that the Ministry provides training and preparation in 280 skill areas, aligned with real industry needs through government-private partnerships.
The Thai delegation was welcomed by Mr. Tanee Sangrat, Ambassador of Thailand to the Republic of Korea, who reaffirmed the strong relationship between Thailand and South Korea in areas like the economy, education, tourism, and especially labour cooperation. He expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Labour for launching this initiative and pledged that the Thai Embassy in Seoul is fully committed to supporting legal employment and protecting Thai workers.
Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, Permanent Secretary of Labour, reiterated the goals of the event and emphasized that it highlights Thailand’s dedication to “legal, opportunity-driven, income-generating, and rights-protected overseas employment,” supported by a robust training system to prepare skills, expertise, and knowledge in 280 fields, connected with the industrial sector through public-private sector cooperation.
After the official sessions, Mr. Phiphat and the Ministry’s executives met with the Thai Labor Volunteer Network in South Korea to hear from those on the ground and to develop systemic solutions. He stressed that these volunteers are the “heart” of Thai labour protection abroad. He outlined three key policies for the network: Promote understanding of social security rights. Prevent issues related to drugs, gambling, and debt, and 3. Encourage all workers to register correctly and enroll in the social security system for job security and protection.
The labour volunteers shared challenges and suggestions, such as the lengthy labour deployment processes that do not align with employer needs, and language barriers, especially in communicating with Korean employers. In response, Mr. Phiphat instructed the Department of Skill Development to align training curricula with actual employer needs and to provide skill certification for Thais seeking jobs in South Korea.
South Korean employers highly value Thai workers for their discipline, diligence, and adaptability. The Ministry is committed to expanding legal job opportunities and ensuring that every worker operates within the official system from the very beginning,” Mr. Phiphat concluded.
