On September 5, 2024, the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, chaired the opening ceremony of the project to upgrade personnel in the MICE industry to support international medical and wellness tourism and delivered a special speech on “Opportunities and Challenges in Upgrading the Potential and Competencies of Thai Workers to Support High-Value Tourism.” The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien, and the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-General, Ms. Bunyawee Khaipan, joined the occasion. President of Prince of Songkla University, Assistant Professor Dr. Niwat Kaewpradab, gave a welcoming speech. The Governor of Songkhla Province, Mr. Somnuk Promkhieo, stated the purpose of the event. Heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Songkhla Province joined in the welcome at the main activity stage in the Convention Hall of the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne International Convention Center, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province.
Mr. Phiphat said that he was pleased and honoured to be the chairman of the opening ceremony of this event. With many factors, such as its location as the center of the region, readiness of infrastructure and facilities, service and hospitality of Thai people, medical services that meet international standards, and variety of tourist attractions and cultures, Thailand has the opportunity to become the center of the MICE industry and medical and health tourism in Asia. It will become a large industry that will impact the employment of skilled workers. Therefore, it is the mission of the Department of Skill Development under the Ministry of Labour to produce knowledgeable and capable manpower to supply such industries.
Mr. Phiphat continued that the Ministry of Labour has assigned the Department of Skill Development to set guidelines for labour development covering all aspects, such as promoting cooperation between the government, private sectors, and educational institutions in developing training courses to meet the needs of the labour market. Most recently, the department has collaborated with the Thai Exhibition Association, the Creative Business Association of Thailand, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the Thai Hotels Association, and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau to develop personnel standards in the MICE industry, working together with various agencies to set labour skill standards and promote labour skill standard testing and certification so that those who pass the labour skill standard test will receive wages according to their skillsets. In addition, a platform called One Platform for Skill Development has been developed to support continuous worker skill development and encourage employers and business establishments to build skills for their employees by receiving benefits under the Workers Skill Development Promotion Act B.E. 2545.
“These guidelines will enhance the potential of the workforce to support high-value tourism, laying the foundation for becoming the center of the MICE industry and medical and health tourism in the region. Songkhla Province is one province that should promote the development of manpower in this field because it is the economic center of the South and has readiness in terms of infrastructure. Therefore, having a workforce in fields related to the MICE industry will help further develop it to become a center at the local, national, or regional levels very well,” said the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat.
