June 8, 2025, 14.00 hours – Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Labour, presided over the opening ceremony of the 37th National Occupational Health and Safety Fair, or Thailand Safe@Work 2025, under the theme “Fostering a Culture of Safety for a Sustainable Thai Society.” Mr. Nantachai Panyasurarit, the Director of the Thailand Institute Of Occupational Safety and Health (TOSH), delivered the opening report. Mr. Aree Krainara, the Secretariat to the Labour Minister, Mr. Phuchong Worasri, assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister and currently serving at the Ministry of Labour, Air Chief Marshal Athikun Kongmee, Advisor to the Minister on Illegal Worker Management, Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Dr. Kamthon Chipchai-Issara, Chairman of the TOSH Board, Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, and Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, the Deputy Permanent Secretaries of Labour, Acting Second Lieutenant Somsak Promdam and Ms. Jirapa Boonrat, the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-Generals, and the Ministry of Labour’s executives joined the occasion. The event drew participation from business representatives, government agencies, educational institutions, and workers from across the country at the Phoenix Hall, IMPACT Exhibition Center, Halls 11–12, Muang Thong Thani.
Mr. Phiphat reaffirmed that occupational safety is not merely a basic right of workers but a key national economic strategy. Ensuring workplace safety boosts labour productivity, enhances national competitiveness, and reduces the economic losses caused by work-related accidents and illnesses. According to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the cost of unsafe workplaces may account for 4–6% of a country’s GDP, a preventable burden if proper safety systems are in place. To drive real, systemic change, the Ministry of Labour has laid out three strategic pillars:
- Promoting safety knowledge and awareness through communication campaigns, technology, and training.
- Supporting enterprises in achieving international safety standards, such as ISO 45001.
- Enforcing occupational safety laws rigorously and nationwide.
He emphasized that the commitment to safety must be collective, stating that this is not just an event but a call to action to all sectors to ensure Thailand becomes truly safe. By 2030, Thailand aims to reduce workplace injury rates to 1 per 1,000 workers and fatality rates to 3 per 100,000 people. This requires everyone to respect the rules and jointly foster a safety culture.
Mr. Nantachai Panyasurarit, the Director of the Thailand Institute Of Occupational Safety and Health (TOSH), added that healthy workers with stable jobs and fair incomes are critical to sustainable economic development and improving Thailand’s image among international investors, especially as Thailand plays a growing role in the global supply chain. TOSH is committed to supporting enterprises in strengthening their occupational safety management systems through initiatives such as Safety Officer (HSE) training, workplace safety innovation incubation projects, and national awards for model safety organizations. Within the Thailand Safe@Work 2025 event, innovative solutions from these programs were showcased, including “Smart Med Infusion” from Somdet Phra Pinklao Hospital, a closed chemotherapy drug administration system that reduces chemical leakage from 20–30% to zero, protecting both staff and patients. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with robotic arms from Siam Technology College was designed for emergency rescue operations such as fires and floods. Mr. Nantachai invited establishments nationwide to join in creating a “safety culture” in the workplace for the benefit of workers, organizations, and the country’s economy as a whole because “Safety is not a wasted expense — it is an investment in a sustainable future,” concluded Mr. Nantachai.
As part of the event, the Labour Minister presented a total of 86 honourary awards to outstanding workplaces and personnel, including four awards for developing skills of government personnel in occupational health, safety, and environment in working and good health for local businesses and communities sustainably 2025, 2 awards for model enterprises under the “Peer Safety Support Network” initiative, 56 platinum awards for achieving zero work-related accidents in 2025, 13 platinum awards for sustainable implementation of ISO-compliant safety systems in 2024, and 7 awards for innovation and personnel development in occupational safety and health in 2025.
