Mrs. Suchada Cheecharoen, Minister Counsellor (Labour), on behalf of the Office of Labour Affairs of the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin led lecturers and officials from Ministry of Labour’s Department of Skill Development in organizing skill upgrading programs and national skill standard tests for 250 masseurs and spa workers Thai workers in Germany. The program took place during March 26 – June 1, 2011 in Munich, Memmingen, Hausach, Frankfurt, Arensburg, Hanover, Berlin and during March 3-19 in Austrian cities of Graz and Linz. In addition, they also organized skill upgrading programs and national skill standard tests for 42 Thai cooks in Nurnberg during September 8-13, 2011.
During their visits to the cities, they had opportunities to meet with Thai worker, who wanted to take part in the programs to improve their vocational skills in order to boost their confidence and enable them to deliver high-quality services to their customers. They also learned about Thai workers’ quality of life, their relations with employers, problems, and needs, gist as follows:
1) Some Thai workers desire to acquire necessary skills and competencies and fulfill all requirements under German laws so that they can legally start their own businesses.
2) Several massage and spa operators in Germany are looking to hire more skilled and experienced workers as many of them fail to obtain visa to allow them to legally enter Germany to work.
3) Thai cooks in Germany feel they are treated unfairly when work under foreign employers, particularly Vietnamese; many of them are laid off.
The Office of Labour Affairs of the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin has undertaken the following actions in order to help the Thai workers.
1) It has piloted a program themed “path to entrepreneurship” to give knowledge to Thai workers who wish to start their own business with Dr. Charivat Santaputra from the Royal Thai Embassy in Germany having been invited as guest speaker.
2) It has urged relevant agencies to urgently negotiate with German government to convince it to allow Thai workers or Third-country nationals who pass the skill standard tests for masseurs and spa workers — held by Thai authorities — but fail to obtain work permit, to work in the country under a similar condition of the Thai-Germany agreement that allows Thai cooks to work in the country.
3) Problem faced by Thai cooks must be considered case by case and might concern their employment contract. The Office of Labour Affairs will give advice and recommendation to both the employers/employees concerned and cooperate with relevant agencies in informing Thai workers and employers about steps they must take before signing an employment contract in order to prevent future problem.
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สำนักงานฝ่ายแรงงาน ประจำสถานเอกอัครราชทูต ณ กรุงเบอร์ลิน กันยายน 2554
