The Labor Minister revealed the private sector’s response to government policy on promoting the employment of the elderly, aiming to encourage the employment of 100,000 elderly workers in 2019, divided into 20,000 elderly workers in the system and 80,000 informal elderly workers.
On February 25, 2019, Labour Minister, H.E. Police General Adul Sangsingkeo chaired the meeting to promote employment for the elderly, with Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Jarin Chakkaphark along with the Ministry of Labour’s management team which attended the meeting at the Prof. Nikom Chandravithun conference room, 5th floor, Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Ministry of Labour. The meeting contained several essential agenda items, including the acknowledgment of the elderly Thai population, government support measures, the Ministry of Labour’s promotion of employment and raising the quality of life of the elderly, wage rates and suitable job types, incentives to promote elderly jobs and information and research related to elderly employment. The meeting also discussed ways to drive the promotion of employment and raise the quality of life for the elderly.
Pol.Gen. Adul said that in 2019, the Ministry of Labour aims to promote elderly employment and raise the quality of life for 100,000 elderly persons, consisting of 20,000 seniors in the system, divided into 15,000 private and 5,000 state employee and 80,000 informal elderly workers, consisting of 70,000 self-employed workers and 10,000 home workers. Departments under the Ministry of Labour will be responsible for determining the hourly wage rate, promoting elderly employment in a career suitable for the age and experience, self-employment and become an elderly employment service center. The ministry will also aim to encourage and develop the skills and potential of elderly workers to have skills that match the needs of the labour market, provide knowledge on welfare to prepare for retirement and adjust the social security system to be in line with the employment of the elderly and operate mobile health units
This year, the Ministry of Labour by the Office of the Wage Committee, has considered determining an appropriate wage rate for elderly employment which has set the age range from 60 years of age or more for hiring elderly workers in clerk, employee, trade and service work, which is not harmful to the health and safety of elderly employees, at a rate of no less than 45 Baht per hour, working no more than 7 hours per day.
The meeting also took comments from the private and public sectors, and local government organizations to promote employment in each area. Businesses and local communities mostly agreed with the policy, whereby the government has launched incentives to encourage the private sector to hire elderly workers, by allowing the company or juristic partnership the right to use the expenses paid for the employment of the elderly as income tax deductions by twice the amount spent. Costs that are tax-exempt must be from expenses paid as wages to the elderly, not exceeding 15,000 Baht per worker, per month.
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Division of Public Relations/
News by Chaninthorn Phettab/
Photos by Sompob Silbut/
25 February 2019/
