The Labour Minister has discussions with food experts on developing cooperation to extend courses on upgrading Thai chefs to drive the “Thai Kitchen to the World” policy.
On April 4, 2019, Labour Minister H.E. Police General Adul Sangsingkeo chaired the meeting to find ways to promote Thai chefs to the world kitchen at the Prof. Nikom Chandravithun conference room, 5th floor, Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the Ministry of Labour. He said that the government’s “Thai Kitchen to the World” policy aims to make Thailand the food hub of the ASEAN region and the world. The Ministry of Labour’s Department of Skill Development has integrated cooperation with the public and private sectors to develop labour skills in food-related professions, in parallel with the development of domestic and international food business by using incentives for food service businesses to provide information continuously. This initiative is along with raising the standard of restaurants both locally and abroad to continue raising employment, the quality of life and driving the economy and society to be stable, prosperous and sustainable, in line with the 20-year national strategy and the country’s 20-year workforce development strategy.
Pol.Gen. Adul said that the Ministry of Labour had driven policies to promote and upgrade Thai chefs to the world kitchen through 5 measures, namely: 1. Preparing Thai cooks to have the standard skills. 2. Expand the market for Thai chefs both domestically and internationally 3. Create Thai food standards 4. Promote the image and publicize in both domestic and international markets and 5. Research and development for sustainability.
The survey found that the labour market still needs 15,600 cooks. There is a need for 11,600 positions in Thailand, whereby the ministry has already trained 13,020 people. The international market needs 4,000 positions. The survey of Thai restaurants found that North America has 5,342 restaurants, Europe has 2,000 restaurants, Australia / Oceania has 3,000 restaurants and ASEAN has 1,323 restaurants. In addition, employment was promoted by setting wage rates according to skill standards, national skill assessments, promotion of skills labour standards in foreign countries and issurance of letters for Thai workers abroad.
This meeting invited networks of skill development workers to promote Thai food such as the Yingcharoen Culinary School, Suan Dusit University, MSC Thai Food School, Silpakorn University and Culineur School of Food and Culinary to find ways to develop skills for Thai chefs to have higher potential. Initiatives include language skills to expand the market and promote Thai chefs to work abroad. Each unit was requested to present results of past operations and plans to develop labour skills in the development of the chef’s potential to be able to maintain the identity and authenticity of Thai culinary tradition.
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Division of Public Relations/
News by Chaninthorn Phettab/
Information by Department of Skill Development/
Photos by Sompob Silbut/
4 April 2019/
