Five key Thai industries needs over 3 mln workers in next three years

BANGKOK, February (TNA) - The Industry Ministry’s Office of Industrial Economics has projected that the country would need about 3.3 million workers for five key industries between 2015 – 2017. Udom Wongwiwatchai, director-general of Office of Industrial Economics, said the prediction on labour demand was made by the LEED-X system, using the labour database from between 2011 – 2012 and should have 80 percent accuracy. He said the projection was also based on a condition that Thailand’s economy would grow by 4 per cent on average during the period. Udom said the five principle industries, thus, could face a possible of shortage of workers. The five industries are food and beverage, garment and textile, electronics, auto and parts, and industrial and machinery. Udom said Thailand might have to rely on employing foreign workers in these industries because the country is becoming on an aged society while unemployment in the country stands at between 0.6 – 0.7 per cent only. To deal with the issue, Udom said in the short-term the country needs to improve workers’ skills while support must be given to industrial operators on promoting “talent mobility.” In the long run, operators must be prepared for investment in machinery, research and development, and lay out production and human development strategies, he said. (TNA)