Thailand develops workers' skills for AEC

BANGKOK, July 9 (TNA) - The Ministry of Labour is upgrading Thai workers' skills, as part of national preparations for the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of 2015. An event, entitled the “Wake up Workers”, was, thus, organised at the Ministry of Labour in Bangkok on Wednesday, as an effort to further develop potential of Thai workers based on the policy. When opening the event, Permanent Secretary for Labour Jeerasak Sukonthachart said that Thailand's current work forces of about 40 million make up the majority of the country's population and they are needed to be further developed to be ready for regional changes in multi-aspects, especially in the economic sphere, in the lead-up to the AEC. Jeerasak acknowledged that his ministry is launching a four-area action to upgrade the Thai workers' skills, including their proficiency in English, which is the central language among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as their knowledge and skills in modern technology. occupational skills and working in cross-cultural diversity. According to the senior official, the four-area action is carrying out through relevant activities, namely labour movement facilitations, development of national labour skills standards system and national labour productivity to meet international standards and the establishment of training centres for high technology. Meanwhile, Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and the Thai Federation on Logistics, has developed an ASEAN language translation application for both Android and iOS smartphones, Version2, called “Application Happy Talk”, consisting 10 ASEAN languages and Chinese, along with other activities and platforms, as part of a project on promoting and creating good health for improved quality of life and well-being of land logistics personnel in physical, mental, intelligent and social dimensions for their sustainable happiness. (TNA)