Prayut urges re-education of low-skilled workers

By SIRIVISH TOOMGUM 
THE NATION

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha presides over the opening of the four-day Thailand Industry Expo 2018 at the Impact Arena Exhibition Hall in Muang Thong Thani.

 

PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged all concerned parties to focus on producing a competent workforce and re-educate low-skilled labour to help the country move into the future.

 

The premier made his remarks yesterday at the opening of the four-day “Thailand Industry Expo 2018”, which is being hosted by the Industry Ministry at the Impact Muang Thong Thani convention centre. 

 

He said there is a concern that the use of advanced technologies by businesses in the industry 4.0 era would cost people their jobs. He told related ministers and the private sector to join forces to seek ways to re-educate workers and improve their knowledge to let them catch up with the change in industry.

 

 

The education sector should also focus more on producing graduates in the scientific and R&D fields to serve emerging new high-tech industries in Thailand, he said.

 

“Somebody asked how can we reach the 4.0 era as we are now in 1.0 stage, and what should we do if the world moves to 5.0,” he said. “That’s a very unproductive statement – we have to start now otherwise we would go nowhere.” 

 

 

As the country is drawing more foreign investment, especially to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), and requires foreign investors to use a great number of local people if they want to gain tax incentives, the country should also prepare a sufficient number of skilled workers to match the demand, he added.

 

 

The premier said that the country is at a milestone of moving forward under the Thailand 4.0 model, which is a tool to help Thailand escape the middle income trap and become a high income nation in the next 20 years.

 

The government has also introduced several measures to upgrade small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become “smart enterprises”, which they say will be the key to drive the country forward and boost economic growth.

 

More income for farmers

 

The government has to develop all sectors to bring low-income people into the system, to enable them to have proper incomes, Prayut said. “The most important thing is to increase revenue for more than 20 million people in the farm sector,” he said. 

 

 

Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana said that the objective of the event is to raise awareness of business operators, especially SMEs, on the importance of using advanced technologies to enhance their competitiveness and boost productivity.

 

 

There are around five million combined SMEs and small shop operators in Thailand.

 

The promotion of the use of advanced technology, such as robotics, is in line with the government’s policy of transforming Thailand’s economy to be a value-based economy.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30351333

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-03

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

to help the country move into the future.

He have a better chance with trying to build a time travelling machine big as a bad ass bus

Building an educated, effective workforce requires a generation. If you didn't start years ago, it is already too late to serve the needs of the current Thai economy.

 

The saddest thing is that I expect the Prayut government to allow large numbers of Chinese to enter the country to act as a skilled workforce for their investments, and once here they will never leave or train the locals to take over their jobs.

 

All this investment in infrastructure can be a good thing, but Thailand suffers from hubris; if you don't have an educated populace to utilize the infrastructure, you will need to cede it to others who do.

 

And, Thailand will join the list of secondary/tertiary suppliers to the Chinese economy.

 

Sad days for a once fine country with promise...

 

Edited August 2, 20187 yr by Samui Bodoh

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut urges re-education of low-skilled workers

How about making a proper move forward and having a complete revamp of the whole education system ?

That's not happening anytime soon . 80% plus are unskilled and that includes those with ,not worth the paper its written on , degrees .

Edited August 2, 20187 yr by Nigeone

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“Somebody asked how can we reach the 4.0 era as we are now in 1.0 stage, and what should we do if the world moves to 5.0,” he said. “That’s a very unproductive statement –

which is worse ? not being intelligent or not being able to speak intelligently ? the original question is quite productive, he just didnt have an answer and responded as military generals seem to do often, just blurt out any thoughtless something

He says he wants to help the farmers. How ?  Every year they flood half the countries farm land to protect Bangkok and give no compensation.  The education system is useless, teachers are poorly paid and don't care about students, especially at the primary schools. (Read about the many stories about beating kids).  If you want to grow a big tree you have to nurture it from a seedling.  Not the Thai way is it ?

One of the problems might be that nobody actually knows what "Thailand 4.0" is !

Ask the bleached skin booth bunny at the futuristic food truck booth which is her favorite programming language, how she feels about nano tech,  and where can you get carbon fiber made in Thailand.  That will tell you something about 4.0

 

The problem is Thailand's leaders are not astute and come off as non trustworthy.  Look a the grand hooha inviting Alibaba's Ma into Thailand.  Ma wields significant control in China of all places.  What do you think he will do if let loose Thailand?  The military government loves big companies, but they do not understand that they are not the innovators and can cause more harm than good. 

 

Economies need to grow on their own, without constraints.  They  need to be natural unlike the bleached skin of said booth bunny. 

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

How about making a proper move forward and having a complete revamp of the whole education system ?

...and while we're at it, how about re-educating amateur politicians and part-time diplomats at the helm?

Edited August 3, 20187 yr by Lupatria

Well it has only taken him 4 years to get there, but at last he is going to introduce "re-education" camps.

 

Following in the footsteps of other great Asian military leaders.

 

What's next? Ethnic cleansing perhaps?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Somebody asked how can we reach the 4.0 era as we are now in 1.0 stage, and what should we do if the world moves to 5.0,” he said. “That’s a very unproductive statement – we have to start now otherwise we would go nowhere.” 

It’s still a good question though. 

 

Care to answer it?

26 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Ask the bleached skin booth bunny at the futuristic food truck booth which is her favorite programming language, how she feels about nano tech,  and where can you get carbon fiber made in Thailand.  That will tell you something about 4.0

 

The problem is Thailand's leaders are not astute and come off as non trustworthy.  Look a the grand hooha inviting Alibaba's Ma into Thailand.  Ma wields significant control in China of all places.  What do you think he will do if let loose Thailand?  The military government loves big companies, but they do not understand that they are not the innovators and can cause more harm than good. 

 

Economies need to grow on their own, without constraints.  They  need to be natural unlike the bleached skin of said booth bunny. 

Oh it's a food truck, I had assumed, after a cursory glance, that it was promoting a dodgy plastic surgeon who specialised in ridiculous breast enhancements...

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

which is worse ? not being intelligent or not being able to speak intelligently ? the original question is quite productive, he just didnt have an answer and responded as military generals seem to do often, just blurt out any thoughtless something

Yes, he doesn't think before opening his mouth. He needs a spell in concentration camp...

This is the only English article I could find about the Expo

Change to Shift

 

... and it seems we have a new slogan !!! "Change to Shift"

 

"Re- education" as in "more traditional BS about the greatness of Thailand" and more "keeping your head down and do as you told"?

Robotics taking over the jobs in factories is something you are seing all over the planet.Not many governments know how to tackle this problem.You will see more and more unemployment in the world,innovation leads to more job loss.

You raise wages you also demand better skilled workers and people who are willing to work hard.

People sweeping the streets will be a thing of the past,what are those people going to do?

Twenty-six percent of the population works in the agricultural sector? That’s mind boggling. In the USA I think the number is less than 2% to feed 325 million people as well as huge exports to other countries.

There is no way you’re going to increase the incomes of that many people across the board without a huge increase in the cost of produce to the consumer.

Follow the path of modernization and do more with fewer people. Invest in agri-tech and educate farmers about best practices. Take the farm hands that are displaced and put them in factories supporting the sector they were displaced from.

7 minutes ago, attrayant said:

Twenty-six percent of the population works in the agricultural sector? That’s mind boggling. In the USA I think the number is less than 2% to feed 325 million people as well as huge exports to other countries.

There is no way you’re going to increase the incomes of that many people across the board without a huge increase in the cost of produce to the consumer.

Follow the path of modernization and do more with fewer people. Invest in agri-tech and educate farmers about best practices. Take the farm hands that are displaced and put them in factories supporting the sector they were displaced from.
 

Problem is, the factories will be full of robots, so no jobs for them.

And as for science, where are graduates in genetic engineering, robotics, IT security or nanotechnology going to find employment? Are there employers in Thailand that are anxiously waiting for these young graduates?

I taught science here for several years and the students have little to no understanding of even basic concepts. I taught high school level so by the time they got to me, most had already had the curiosity and inquisitiveness driven out of them.

I was given an empty room to teach various scientific disciplines, but mainly physics and chemistry. When I asked the department head how students could be expected to learn science without even basic equipment or a rudimentary lab, the response was “just talk to them about it”.

Sad.

Problem is, the factories will be full of robots, so no jobs for them.

Robots need maintenance. That’s where the education comes in.

If the charlatan in chief was serious about what he is saying, many moves could have been made to improve education during his reign. Now it is too late. Hopefully a competent individual will be able to improve education, at some point. It will definitely not be this simpleton fool. If anything, he wants to keep the common man down. Everything he has done in the past four years indicates that. His entire job and his agenda has always been to protect the elite, the wealthy, and those in power. Not to bring up the common man. More fake news from the chief liar. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

focus on producing a competent workforce and re-educate low-skilled labour to help the country move into the future.

Right On!

The solution?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

ministers and the private sector to join forces to seek ways to re-educate workers and improve their knowledge to let them catch up with the change in industry.

Basically do "stuff."

6 hours ago, webfact said:

upgrade small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become “smart enterprises”

Rebrand the name for SME's. Fantastic!

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“The most important thing is to increase revenue for more than 20 million people in the farm sector,”

So no solutions. Set a goal post on a field of unknown dimensions.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

raise awareness of business operators, especially SMEs, on the importance of using advanced technologies to enhance their competitiveness and boost productivity.

The government has no real solutions. Maybe businesses can do something - or die.

Ok, 2 points the Pm could have mentioned here. He could have shown how to re-educate army officers who were trained to defend the country and turn them into ministers rorting the country. And the second one he could have brought up  suggesting to Thais who lay around all day and do nothing to try applying for a job because there is a lot of unskilled work jobs done by foreign workers

7 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

If the charlatan in chief was serious about what he is saying, many moves could have been made to improve education during his reign. Now it is too late. Hopefully a competent individual will be able to improve education, at some point. It will definitely not be this simpleton fool. If anything, he wants to keep the common man down. Everything he has done in the past four years indicates that. His entire job and his agenda has always been to protect the elite, the wealthy, and those in power. Not to bring up the common man. More fake news from the chief liar. 

Yep keep the sausage factory turning out more kids with degrees that are worthless,The universities make lots of money pushing kids through and getting degrees that would not even get them a job as a bar girl  The education system needs overhauling The system is so bad my cat could get a degree here with honors as long as I pay money

2 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Ask the bleached skin booth bunny at the futuristic food truck booth which is her favorite programming language, how she feels about nano tech,  and where can you get carbon fiber made in Thailand.  That will tell you something about 4.0

that would be my second question.

 

I'd hope any attempt to enhance the  education system  would include some kind of awareness of a world outside Thailand.

 

I believe this is an impossible  dream and another good idea at the time by Prayut which will never eventuate . First they would have to teach all the teachers and university professors and staff English before this could have any flow on effect. This would require professional tutors teaching these so called professional educators. University would have to have English teaching and satisfactory results  before they can enrol in university. This is only the tip of the iceberg which we will not see in our lifetime. Parents would not longer do their children's examination and studies at school so they can get their work piece of paper. 

30 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

I'd hope any attempt to enhance the  education system  would include some kind of awareness of a world outside Thailand.

 

What outside world ?  

He appears to have conjured the flowers from thin air shazam now for my next trick the public?