On March 4, 2020, at 09.30 hours, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Suthi Sukosol assigned Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour Ms. Aumpun Thuvavit presided over the opening ceremony of the academic seminar on “The Future of Thai Labour in the Next Decade” along with a keynote speech on “driving the policies for future labour development.” The event took place at The Emerald Hotel Bangkok. The seminar aims to listen to opinions from all parties about the potential impact on entrepreneurs and the labour sector in the near future, due to the changing economic structure and adjustment of business sectors that use technology to increase productivity instead of using traditional labour. Thus, it is necessary to employ people with skills, knowledge, and the ability to use modern technology for work.
On this occasion, the Permanent Secretary of Labour presented a keynote speech on “driving the policies for future labour development.” He said that in 2020 the government, by the Ministry of Labour, is aware of the labour problems in Thailand. Therefore, to develop human potential and prepare for technological changes and use of AI, a project plan has been formed to build knowledge, skills, and competency of Thai workers to be suitable for the shift in technology. It aims to develop workers’ capabilities and income according to international labour standards, increase the capacity of future industrial competition (formerly S-Curve and New S-Curve) as well as prepare new workers and the unemployed to be able to enter the labour market with potential. In addition, it also promotes the development of skilled workers in economic development zones, by developing the potential of businesses and informal workers, promoting independent occupations for women, youths, the disabled and the elderly, developing systems and forms of skill development for informal workers and specific groups for start-ups and community enterprises.
The Permanent Secretary of Labour said that the above actions are developments of the country’s workforce, to ensure that we can keep up with the digital age in the future when robots replace manual work. He said that we would adopt the role of robot controllers rather than being interrupted by robots, stepping into the leading force in the labour market, which many sectors are concerned about today.
After that, was a discussion on the “Thai workforce in the next decade … and how to survive?”. Speakers included President of the 18th Advisory Council for National Labour Development Mr. Thavorn Chalatthien, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries Mr. Suchat Chantara-Nakarat, President of the Automobile Labour Congress of Thailand Mr. Manit Promkarikul and Director of the Thailand Development Research Institute Foundation (TDRI) Dr. Yongyuth Chalamwong. Assistant Professor Dr. Kiriya Kulkolkarn led the program from the Economics Faculty of Thammasart University.
