July 10, 2026 – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, presided over the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Promotion of Employment for Ex-Offenders, Probationers under the Department of Probation, or Children and Youths in the Criminal Justice Process, between the Department of Employment, the Department of Skill Development, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Probation, the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Trade of Thailand. Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, delivered the report. Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mrs. Tharinee Sangsawang, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Justice, Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Seksit Sawanyathipat, Assistant Permanent Secretary of Labour, and senior executives from the Ministry of Justice, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Trade of Thailand signed the MOU and served as witnesses. The ceremony took place at Khlong Prem Central Prison, Bangkok.
Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, stated that the Ministry of Labour places great importance on creating employment opportunities and stable income for all groups of the population, particularly ex-offenders, and children and young people who have previously gone astray. This is because having a legitimate occupation is the essential foundation of starting a new life and a crucial mechanism for preventing reoffending. This collaboration therefore represents the “opening of a door of opportunity” through which all sectors join together to improve quality of life, strengthen social stability, and help ex-offenders reclaim a valued place in society, shifting the approach from “solving problems after the fact” to “creating opportunities before problems arise”, through workforce skills development, job placement, career guidance, and the promotion of self-employment, whilst coordinating with businesses to open their doors to the target group. This approach prioritises potential and readiness to work over an individual’s past, and builds employer confidence through public-private collaboration.
“Work” is not merely a source of income, but a vital mechanism for restoring human dignity, reducing the likelihood of reoffending, creating a safer society, and helping to alleviate labour shortages in the business sector. The Ministry of Labour has set a target of placing no fewer than 500 ex-offenders and vulnerable persons into employment by 2026, to drive a labour market that leaves no one behind and builds sustainable economic and social security, the Minister of Labour said.
