May 11, 2025 – Jeju, South Korea. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Labour, continues to advance international labour cooperation by holding bilateral meetings with Mr. Min-Suk Kim, Acting Minister of Employment and Labour of South Korea, and Mr. Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia. These discussions took place ahead of the 2025 APEC Human Resource Development Ministerial Meeting (APEC HRDMM 2025), set to begin on May 12. Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Sakdinart Sonthisakyotin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mrs. Sirirat Srichart, Labour Minister-Counsellor at the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, also joined the occasion.
In talks with Mr. Min-Suk Kim, Acting Minister of Employment and Labour of South Korea, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to legal labour migration. They discussed expanding employment opportunities for Thai workers in service sectors such as restaurants, hotels, and elderly care areas currently experiencing labour shortages in South Korea. Mr. Kim acknowledged Thailand’s vision to elevate its labor force to international standards. Both countries agreed to strengthen collaboration in the legal migration programs, skills development, and protection of Thai workers’ rights in South Korea. South Korea also plans to increase foreign worker intake in service industries, especially elderly care, which is currently filled by women aged 50–65. This shift opens the door for skilled Thai workers in caregiving, as Korean employers continue to trust and value Thai workers for their discipline and work ethic.
Mr. Phiphat addressed the challenge of illegal workers in South Korea, in which Thai workers currently make up 19.2%. Thailand proposed systemic solutions such as legal registration of neighbouring country workers in Thailand, crackdowns on illegal brokers, and promoting the Employment Permit System (EPS) to ensure fair wages and stable welfare. He also proposed collaboration on upskilling workers for the future economy, particularly in AI, automation, and innovative industries, while reaffirming Thailand’s commitment to monitoring the well-being of its workers in Korea. This meeting marked a key milestone in Thailand’s foreign labor policy, emphasizing not only legal deployment but also raising the quality of life and job security for Thai workers on the global stage.
Later, Mr. Phiphat met with Mr. Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia. Both parties agreed that Thailand and Malaysia should lead ASEAN in labor development, especially during the transition to the green economy and the rise of gig workers. Thailand proposed the “One Destination, Two Cities” initiative to create tourism-based jobs and distribute income across ASEAN cities.
Mr. Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia, shared that Malaysia is preparing to introduce new labor protection legislation by July 2025 and is eager to exchange best practices with Thailand. Both sides emphasized that labor is the foundation of regional economic development.
Mr. Phiphat concluded by reaffirming Thailand’s commitment to developing a globally competitive workforce with international-level skills that can keep pace with global economic shifts, from tech industries to the green economy. He stressed that Thai workers must be recognized across ASEAN and the world. The Ministry of Labour stands ready to act as a key driver in building strong foundations for Thai workers, focused on quality, safety, and economic opportunity.
