On November 24, 2021, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin chaired the meeting to deliver the Ministry of Labour’s policies for the 2022 fiscal year. The occasion took place at the meeting room on the fifth floor, Ministry of Labour building. Assistant to the Labour Minister Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, Assistant Minister from the Prime Minister’s Office, performing duties for the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Pornsak Charoenprasert, the Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, Secretariat to the Labour Minister Mr. Suthep Chitayawong, Assistant Minister from the Prime Minister’s Office performing duties for the Ministry of Labour Police Major General Nantachat Supamongkol, the Ministry of Labour’s Spokesperson (on politics), Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, and the Ministry of Labour’s senior executives participated in the occasion. The Labour Minister thanked all executives, civil servants, and officials of the Ministry of Labour for their contributions in the past year and the good collaboration from everyone and all departments and agencies in helping the people. He thanked companies for supporting people who were impacted by the COVID-19 situation and the economic recession, allowing them to pass through the crisis. The efforts followed the Ministry of Labour’s policies. The Labour Minister then delivered the Ministry of Labour’s policies for the 2022 fiscal year as follows. The policies included the Office of the Permanent Secretary of Labour to promote provincial labour officers as CEOs in driving provincial jobs in all dimensions. To integrate all data into the same database to allow data analysis to support provincial labour operations and link to the central area. To focus on job achievements. To create awareness of policies at all levels and missions of all agencies so that “the Minister knows, the Permanent Secretary knows, and Provincial Labour Officers know”. For labour volunteers and graduates to be an important mechanism in driving the Ministry of Labour’s missions. To strengthen the network in appropriate forms, for example, establishing a provincial labour Line group at the regional level to link work or establishing a Line group for labour volunteers and graduates. Using communication channels through social media in an appropriate and timely manner to exchange information that benefits work in the form of a spider web. For Counselor Ministers on Labour to expand the labour market abroad for Thai workers to generate income back to Thailand. To promote occupational alleviation projects to inject money into the economy to drive the nation. He said that in 2022, the Ministry of Labour aims to continue working vigorously to help people suffering from occupation. It aims to support informal workers by driving the Informal Workers Act B.E. …. For over 20.4 million informal workers. Additionally, laws need revisions to keep up with the changing forms of employment that are suitable for working.
Mr. Suchart continued that the Department of Employment focuses on maintaining employment and helping SMEs. He asked that they prepare carefully and establish a strict disbursement system. To manage foreign workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, information must be up to date. He also asked that they prepare the JOB EXPO to create careers for interested people. In 2022, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare will focus on the prevention and resolution of human trafficking, inspections, and strict law enforcement to prevent the authorities from getting involved. The department will also aim to promote proactive labour relations to monitor establishment risks that may cause disputes. He asked that they plan their work each year to reduce potential complaints. An example is in November, where it can discuss with the union about annual bonus payments to identify how to reduce the statistics of labour disputes and conflicts between employers and employees. He also asked that they continue to carry out the labour relations project according to the sufficiency economy philosophy. The Department of Skill Development will review existing training courses according to current trends and appropriate to the local context. It will focus on the comprehensive transformation of working styles from training to teaching marketing, such as creating a storyline to promote and create added value to make the products attractive. The Provincial Skill Development Institutes/Offices will determine a course per province to drive the implementation of the MOU together with vocational education. It will encourage educational institutions, both public and private, to establish skill standard assessment centers to accelerate the issuance of competency certificates online. The department will also collaborate with educational institutions to create courses to produce workers for the future labor market for one, three, and five years. In the 2022 fiscal year, the Social Security Office with focus on amending the social security law. As for old-age benefits, there are three requests, including the request for selection, a refund, and a loan. It will also aim to establish a bank, medical institutions, and cheap housing for insured persons to create a sustainable and good quality of life. It will launch a social security application with merchants to benefit insured persons, providing medical services to insured persons. The Occupational Safety and Health Bureau (public organization), or TOSH, will focus on creating a body of knowledge for workplaces to be aware of workplace safety to reduce the rate of accidents and occupational hazards.
“It is important to have economic data. We must know what the career trends will be in the next 3-5 years. We must be able to guide the national economy. The Ministry of Labour’s officials must not be involved in the human trafficking process. If found or reported, there will be immediate disciplinary and criminal proceedings. Our work must connect to the National Strategy 2018 – 2037 and the BCG (Bio Circular Green Economy) or the economic model towards sustainable development. I ask that you update the Ministry of Labour’s regulations to stay relevant. Our work must consider supporting the people as a priority. Do not use the law as an obstacle for the people to get the most benefit. In your work, please consider the principles, reasons, results, and impact to see the bigger picture. Accelerate and strengthen all types of networks, including all departments, to participate and support the awareness of the departments and ministry’s missions. We must continuously allocate government officers to support community enterprises’ operations to drive the Ministry of Labour and the country towards a single goal, which is to create benefits and happiness for the people and ensure workers are safe from COVID-19”, concluded Mr. Suchart.
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Division of Public Relations
24 November 2021
