Thailand
Issues and Challenges
Through ASEAN, Thailand has been proceeding with other member states to establish ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) with the goal of achieving an integrated market by 2015. AEC will pave the way towards a free flow of goods, service, investment, as well as skilled labour, to promote equitable development and poverty reduction across the region. In regard to skilled labour mobility, ASEAN member countries shall adopt trade liberalization and remove all barriers to discrimination on employment, and to this end the AEC framework insists on harmonization of education and training standards. With the average Thai worker presently holding an average of 8.5 years of education, and with an estimated total of 300,000-400,000 persons graduating from Thai education system on a yearly basis, the openness of labour mobility accorded through the AEC presents a potential challenge to upgrading the skills of the labour force. Many industrial sectors have demand the government to effectively resolve these issues. Read more...