On November 13, 2022, the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, visited and encouraged over 50 employees of Thai wellness massage and spa and staff, who gave demonstrations and provided services to prepare Thai wellness massage and spa activities to support Thai and foreign press correspondents covering the APEC meetings. The Department of Skill Development’s Director-General, Mr. Prateep Songlamyong, the Ministry of Labour’s executives, and massage staff gave a welcome at the Labour College building, Department of Skill Development, Ministry of Labour.
Mr. Boonchob said that Thailand is honoured to host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and related meetings between November 14 and 19, 2022, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The meetings will help stimulate Thailand’s economy and build Thailand’s reputation on the world stage as well, especially in terms of hospitality, tourism, food, souvenirs, and different services. The Ministry of Labour’s Department of Skill Development, as a labour skill development agency, will participate in presenting Thai standardized labour skills to foreigners in this event. The Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, has emphasized and given importance to developing such skills, in line with the government policy that is focused on skilled workers progressing into jobs and a stable income. Therefore, the Department of Skill Development was assigned to organize Thai wellness massage and spa activities at the events, to support Thai and foreign press correspondents who have traveled to cover the meetings and thousands of delegates from economic zones attending the event.
Mr. Boonchob continued that the Ministry of Labour has organized an exhibition to publicize and demonstrate Thai wellness massage and spa during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2022 from November 14 to 19 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Three demonstration activities will be presented by the Department of Skill Development, consisting of Thai wellness massage and spa services (neck and shoulder massage, Tok Sen massage, hot stone spa massage), making herbal products for use in Thai wellness massage and spa, and making healthy herbal drinks.
The Department of Skill Development’s Director-General, Mr. Prateep Songlamyong, said that the Department of Skill Development had emphasized service skills that are up to standard. This is especially for massages, in which the therapists selected to demonstrate at APEC come from the Office of Skill Development in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Nayok and the Human Resources Development Institute for the Healthcare Industry. The therapists have been trained and passed the Department of Skill Development assessment standards. They are also people with pleasant personalities and are knowledgeable in English. Therefore, today, the Department of Skill Development provided training for standards in Thai massage services, hospitality, service excellence, basic English for massage therapists, and Thai massage practice for the masseuses to prepare for the actual demonstration on the day of the event.
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Division of Public Relations
13 November 2022