February 18, 2026, 10.00 hours – Mrs. Luisa Ragher, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to Thailand, together with her delegation, paid a courtesy call on Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, to discuss avenues for cooperation to advance labour relations between Thailand and the European Union. Also present were Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Sakdinart Sontisakyothin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Mongkol Songkhram, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Employment, Mr. Surasit Srikaew, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, and relevant officials. The meeting took place at the Chatumongkol Meeting Room, 6th Floor, Ministry of Labour Building, where the delegation was welcomed.
Following the meeting, Ms. Trinuch stated that although the government is currently in a caretaker period, the Ministry of Labour continues to carry out its duties fully and consistently, prioritising key labour policies and urgent issues in five main areas: 1. Addressing labour shortages by accelerating labour MOUs with foreign countries to fill gaps, as well as registering migrant workers in accordance with Cabinet resolutions. 2. Upskilling and reskilling Thai workers so they can keep pace with technological change, with particular emphasis on digital and AI skills (demand-driven). This is being pursued through the “Thais Must Have Jobs” mission, implemented via nationwide employment service centres and the Thai Mee Ngan Tham application. As part of this proactive policy campaign, 87 employment service centres have been established nationwide to facilitate job access, with a focus on skills matching and training. 3. Promoting labour welfare and life security, including workplace safety, enhanced compensation and benefits under Social Security Section 40, and the extension of maternity leave from 98 days to 120 days. 4. Expanding employment opportunities for Thai workers, and 5. Harnessing technology to improve labour services.
The Labour Minister also emphasised the strong relationship between Thailand and the European Union, particularly in labour cooperation through several frameworks, such as the Labour Dialogue with DG EMPL. Thailand will host the 4th Thailand–EU High-Level Labour Meeting on March 11-12, 2026. Other frameworks include the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) through specialised working groups on human rights and good governance, as well as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, which contain dedicated labour provisions. She affirmed Thailand’s readiness to further strengthen labour cooperation with the EU to advance human and labour rights, promote safe and regular labour migration, and raise labour standards to meet international benchmarks, thereby expanding opportunities for Thai workers to access the European labour market.
Mrs. Luisa Ragher, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to Thailand, praised Thailand for amending its maternity legislation to extend maternity leave, highlighting its importance in promoting women workers’ rights, in line with EU values. She also expressed support for technical cooperation programmes implemented by organisations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In particular, she highlighted flagship initiatives such as the Ship to Shore Rights programme, which addresses unfair labour practices in the fishing industry and related sectors in Southeast Asia. She reiterated that the European Union recognises Thailand’s potential as a strategic partner and key trade partner, and remains committed to advancing labour-related cooperation with Thailand. Furthermore, the EU is prepared to cooperate with Thailand to assist people fleeing conflict in refugee camps, including by supporting initiatives to equip refugees with skills aligned with labour market demands.
…………………………………………..
Division of Public Relations
