The Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin assigned the Permanent Secretary of Labour, the Ministry of Labour’s Spokesperson (on politics), Mrs. Thienrat Navamawat, the Department of Employment’s Director-General, Mr. Pairoj Chotiksetian, the Department of Skill Development’s Director-General, Mr. Prateep Songlamyong, the Minister Counselor (on Labour) at the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, Mr. Nithipat Wattanasuwakul, had negotiations with the KHOSHIPA Association, a shipyards association from the Republic of Korea, and Hyundai, which is also a member of the association.
Mr. Suchart said that the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, give importance to promoting Thai people to work abroad. Therefore, the Ministry of Labour was instructed to find ways to expand the labour market in more foreign countries. Today, he assigned the Permanent Secretary of Labour and the group to discuss with the South Korean Association of Shipyards. This association is a collaboration of eight large South Korean companies. In 2020, there were many orders. Therefore, it is necessary to hire 10,000 workers annually, including 4,000 welders, 1,400 painters, and 1,800 electricians. South Korea is facing a low birth rate. They are becoming an aging society causing a shortage of labour. Each year, people aged 15 to 64 years who can work are steadily declining. Especially this year, the population declined to 350,000 people. Therefore, there is a need to import foreign workers to work with the E-7 visa (skilled visas). This year, the South Korean government increased the import quota of foreign workers to 20 percent of the company’s total workforce, with a demand for foreign workers within the Asian region. Thailand is, therefore, one of the countries and a target for South Korea, which needs many workers aged 24 to 45 years.
The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suthamanuswong said Thailand is ready to support and encourage more Thai people to work in South Korea to comply with government policy. The Ministry of Labour is prepared, whereby the Department of Employment and the Department of Skills Development is ready to carry out the relevant tasks following the mission. On the progress in this matter, the Minister Counselor (on Labour) visited the area to discuss in detail with the association and employers who want to hire Thai workers. Meanwhile, soon, the South Korean authorities will send representatives to visit the welders’ assessment in Thailand to prepare to send Thai workers on skilled visas to work in the shipbuilding industry as South Korea requires.
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Division of Public Relations
27 June 2022
