Thailand To Benefit From Free Flow Of Skilled Labour In 2015

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Special Report: Thailand to benefit from free flow of skilled labour in 2015

BANGKOK: -- Thailand stands to benefit from the free flow of skilled labour during the ASEAN integration in 2015, despite mounting concerns over immigration and economic impacts.

In 2012, ASEAN member countries approved the Agreement on the Movement of Natural Persons (MNP) at the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in Cambodia. The member nations are aiming to increase the mobility of labour within the ASEAN region by facilitating the issuance of visas and employment passes for professionals and skilled labour. The free flow of skilled labour refers to mobility of natural persons who can supply specific skills needed in another country.

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The formation of the ASEAN Community would pave the way for the free flow of skilled labour in eight professions, comprising doctors, dentists, nurses, engineers, architects, accountants, surveyors and tourism service providers. Skilled workers and professionals are expected to flow into the Kingdom, especially from Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. Service careers such as nursing and dentistry are expected to see particular movement, resulting in high competition in the local workforce.

Many fear that the influx of foreign workers would take away job opportunities from Thai workers and that locals with high skill levels would leave Thailand for better opportunities overseas. However, Thailand has imposed a certain level of control in this area to safeguard its labour market. The Alien Employment Act continues to exclude non-Thais from 39 occupations reserved for Thai nationals which include civil engineering and legal services.

In addition, the Thai government has also expressed confidence that the state-initiated 300-baht minimum wage policy will be an attractive incentive to bring the labour back to the country and prevent skilled labour from seeking employments elsewhere in the ASEAN region.

Critics have also cited the short-term effect of “brain drain” as a long-term obstacle, but the impact of the brain drain is usually offset by a reverse brain drain, which refers to the wealth, skills and experience that native workers gained while being employed abroad.

In 2015, efforts are still needed to enhance mutual recognition of qualifications to liberalise labour markets, as the free flow of skilled labour is complementary to other freedoms, such as freedom of capital flows, particularly FDI and services. Together, they hold significant implications for productivity growth and investment.

-- NNT 2013-02-01

[dcutman]

Critics have also cited the short-term effect of “brain drain” as a long-term obstacle

If I can ever stop I will finish.

OK, as I was saying. Language skills........Oh never mind

In addition, the Thai government has also expressed confidence that the state-initiated 300-baht minimum wage policy will be an attractive incentive to bring the labour back to the country and prevent skilled labour from seeking employments elsewhere in the ASEAN region.

Edited February 1, 2013 by dcutman

[Thai at Heart]

Who writes this stuff?

Singaporeans are going to flood in here? On the salary levels of Thai's? There will be a massive influx of Philipino's into the hotel business, and nurses into the private health service. Thailand will lose its best and brightest accountants and lawyers into Singapore, but I don't see too many coming back the other way.

300 baht a day will bring labour back from overseas? If the baht goes to 10 to the USD maybe.

The Alien Employment Act continues to exclude non-Thais from 39 occupations reserved for Thai nationals which include civil engineering and legal services.

Funny that, there are plenty of foreign legal consulatants here already. What bloody difference does it make who is the civil engineer on a job?

This has to be the most wishy washy analysis of what is likely to happen when Asean 2015 comes along.

[lemoncake]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

[IMA_FARANG]

If the Thais are relly serious (but I don't think they are) there is a resivoir of talent that makes it's living on-line ... such as Graphic Artists, Pogrammers, Website designers, etc.

Now if Thailand REALLY wants these talented and high paid skilled expats ... by allowing them to live and work in Thailand (while working on-line), then allow them to get a visa to work on-line while living in Thailand

And paying taxes to Thailand (at a reasonable rate) for that privaledge of living and residing in Thailand,

It would be a win-win situation for Thailand and those talented people who want to live in Thailand.

But what the Thai government really wants is low paid minimum wage Burmese, Cambodian, and Lao workers who take the jobs Thais won't do.

And of course, no Thai Social Security benefits to those workers.

That's what the Thai government really means when it says "Asean intergration".

[h90]

Critics have also cited the short-term effect of “brain drain” as a long-term obstacle

If I can ever stop I will finish.

OK, as I was saying. Language skills........Oh never mind

In addition, the Thai government has also expressed confidence that the state-initiated 300-baht minimum wage policy will be an attractive incentive to bring the labour back to the country and prevent skilled labour from seeking employments elsewhere in the ASEAN region.

yes even very skilled people are often very bad in their English skills.

Skilled people don't work for 300 Baht/day. For technicians there is nothing below 20K

The government is so clueless...

[h90]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

They would be able to speak english

[johng]

The Alien Employment Act continues to exclude non-Thais from 39 occupations reserved for Thai nationals

So not really a free flow of labour.

[Thai at Heart]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

As I read it, yes.

[dcutman]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Restricted occupations

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations that were then closed to aliens. This list has

been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 1979. Prohibited occupations are:

• Labour

• Work in agriculture, animal breeding,

forestry, fishery or general farm

supervision

• Masonry, carpentry, or other

construction work

• Wood carving

• Driving motor vehicles or nonmotorised

carriers, except for piloting

international aircraft

• Shop attendant

• Auctioning

• Supervising, auditing or giving

services in accounting, except

occasional international auditing

• Gem cutting and polishing

• Hair cutting, hair dressing and

beautician work

• Hand weaving

• Mat weaving or making of wares from

reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo

pulp

• Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

• Manufacture of lacquerware

• Thai musical instrument production

• Manufacture of nielloware

• Goldsmith, silversmith and other

precious metal work

• Manufacture of bronzeware

• Thai doll making

• Manufacture of mattresses and padded

blankets

• Alms bowl making

• Manual silk product making

• Buddha image making

• Manufacture of knives

• Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication

• Shoemaking

• Hat making

• Brokerage or agency work, except in

international business

• Dressmaking

• Pottery or ceramics

• Manual cigarette rolling

• Legal or litigation service

• Clerical or secretarial work

• Manual silk reeling and weaving

• Thai character type-setting

• Hawking business

• Tourist guide or tour organising

agency

• Architectural work

• Civil engineering work

Edited February 1, 2013 by dcutman

[Kilgore Trout]

As far as I was aware ALL the jobs they listed are on the list of thai nationals only

I don't think this will ever work....

Correction, just saw the list but with regard to those professions, currently you must prove that a thai nat. can not do it

Will that change?

Sent from my GT-S5660 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited February 1, 2013 by Kilgore Trout

[mca]

Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

Bugger! I was looking for a career move.

[Thai at Heart]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Restricted occupations

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations that were then closed to aliens. This list has

been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 1979. Prohibited occupations are:

• Labour

• Work in agriculture, animal breeding,

forestry, fishery or general farm

supervision

• Masonry, carpentry, or other

construction work

• Wood carving

• Driving motor vehicles or nonmotorised

carriers, except for piloting

international aircraft

• Shop attendant

• Auctioning

• Supervising, auditing or giving

services in accounting, except

occasional international auditing

• Gem cutting and polishing

• Hair cutting, hair dressing and

beautician work

• Hand weaving

• Mat weaving or making of wares from

reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo

pulp

• Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

• Manufacture of lacquerware

• Thai musical instrument production

• Manufacture of nielloware

• Goldsmith, silversmith and other

precious metal work

• Manufacture of bronzeware

• Thai doll making

• Manufacture of mattresses and padded

blankets

• Alms bowl making

• Manual silk product making

• Buddha image making

• Manufacture of knives

• Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication

• Shoemaking

• Hat making

• Brokerage or agency work, except in

international business

• Dressmaking

• Pottery or ceramics

• Manual cigarette rolling

• Legal or litigation service

• Clerical or secretarial work

• Manual silk reeling and weaving

• Thai character type-setting

• Hawking business

• Tourist guide or tour organising

agency

• Architectural work

• Civil engineering work

Number 1 labour.

But there are how many million Burmese and Cambodians here already.

I don't foresee a flood of reed weavers. Is that a job? Hello mr labour office, i would like a work permit for my reed weaver.

[dcutman]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Restricted occupations

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations that were then closed to aliens. This list has

been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 1979. Prohibited occupations are:

• Labour

• Work in agriculture, animal breeding,

forestry, fishery or general farm

supervision

• Masonry, carpentry, or other

construction work

• Wood carving

• Driving motor vehicles or nonmotorised

carriers, except for piloting

international aircraft

• Shop attendant

• Auctioning

• Supervising, auditing or giving

services in accounting, except

occasional international auditing

• Gem cutting and polishing

• Hair cutting, hair dressing and

beautician work

• Hand weaving

• Mat weaving or making of wares from

reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo

pulp

• Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

• Manufacture of lacquerware

• Thai musical instrument production

• Manufacture of nielloware

• Goldsmith, silversmith and other

precious metal work

• Manufacture of bronzeware

• Thai doll making

• Manufacture of mattresses and padded

blankets

• Alms bowl making

• Manual silk product making

• Buddha image making

• Manufacture of knives

• Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication

• Shoemaking

• Hat making

• Brokerage or agency work, except in

international business

• Dressmaking

• Pottery or ceramics

• Manual cigarette rolling

• Legal or litigation service

• Clerical or secretarial work

• Manual silk reeling and weaving

• Thai character type-setting

• Hawking business

• Tourist guide or tour organising

agency

• Architectural work

• Civil engineering work

Number 1 labour.

But there are how many million Burmese and Cambodians here already.

I don't foresee a flood of reed weavers. Is that a job? Hello mr labour office, i would like a work permit for my reed weaver.

Thai character type setting looks like an attractive career move as well. As an American with a Amity company I am pretty sure I can get a work permit.

[davejones]

If the Thais are relly serious (but I don't think they are) there is a resivoir of talent that makes it's living on-line ... such as Graphic Artists, Pogrammers, Website designers, etc.

Now if Thailand REALLY wants these talented and high paid skilled expats ... by allowing them to live and work in Thailand (while working on-line), then allow them to get a visa to work on-line while living in Thailand

And paying taxes to Thailand (at a reasonable rate) for that privaledge of living and residing in Thailand,

It would be a win-win situation for Thailand and those talented people who want to live in Thailand.

But what the Thai government really wants is low paid minimum wage Burmese, Cambodian, and Lao workers who take the jobs Thais won't do.

And of course, no Thai Social Security benefits to those workers.

That's what the Thai government really means when it says "Asean intergration".

Germany has such a scheme. A great way to live in EU area if you're not European.

Edited February 1, 2013 by davejones

[davejones]

I don't foresee a flood of reed weavers. Is that a job? Hello mr labour office, i would like a work permit for my reed weaver.

Yes, it's a job. Thais make many products from reeds - handbags, table mats, etc. You see them for sale all over Thailand.

[MEL1]

Critics have also cited the short-term effect of “brain drain” as a long-term obstacle

If I can ever stop I will finish.

OK, as I was saying. Language skills........Oh never mind

In addition, the Thai government has also expressed confidence that the state-initiated 300-baht minimum wage policy will be an attractive incentive to bring the labour back to the country and prevent skilled labour from seeking employments elsewhere in the ASEAN region.

yes even very skilled people are often very bad in their English skills.

Skilled people don't work for 300 Baht/day. For technicians there is nothing below 20K

The government is so clueless...

I thought it was the government which had been criticised for short-term 'brain-drain' becoming a 'long-term' effect.

-mel. .

[davejones]

]I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Because they can earn more here than in their home country.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't foresee a flood of reed weavers. Is that a job? Hello mr labour office, i would like a work permit for my reed weaver.

Yes, it's a job. Thais make many products from reeds - handbags, table mats, etc. You see them for sale all over Thailand.

Precisely my point, but is the issue that laos people will flood in to do such fabulous high paid work?

That said rather a reed maker, than a cambodian chicken viscerator heh? Ironically, you may find that half the reed mats are imported already, or is that taxed like a bmw to protect this industry of such massive national importance.

How they came up with this list god only knows....

For the professions, i actually think they came up with it, because it would help stop corruption. Imagine an accountant, lawyer or engineer who wouldn't sign off for a bung....

Edited February 1, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[ratcatcher]

I didn't see any mention of qualified Sexual Service Providers.

That must be one of the most important employment areas in the Kingdom, yet apparently SSPs from many different nations are operating here right under the noses of the authorities.

Strange, that.

[Thai at Heart]

I didn't see any mention of qualified Sexual Service Providers.

That must be one of the most important employment areas in the Kingdom, yet apparently SSPs from many different nations are operating here right under the noses of the authorities.

Strange, that.

Bizarre actually. Of all the homemade, national industries, providing massage services isn't included.

[rgs2001uk]

Someone should tell those first influx of Rohingya its only 2013, come back in another 2 years.

Edited February 1, 2013 by rgs2001uk

[Mosha]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Restricted occupations

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations that were then closed to aliens. This list has

been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 1979. Prohibited occupations are:

• Labour

• Work in agriculture, animal breeding,

forestry, fishery or general farm

supervision

• Masonry, carpentry, or other

construction work

• Wood carving

• Driving motor vehicles or nonmotorised

carriers, except for piloting

international aircraft

• Shop attendant

• Auctioning

• Supervising, auditing or giving

services in accounting, except

occasional international auditing

• Gem cutting and polishing

• Hair cutting, hair dressing and

beautician work

• Hand weaving

• Mat weaving or making of wares from

reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo

pulp

• Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

• Manufacture of lacquerware

• Thai musical instrument production

• Manufacture of nielloware

• Goldsmith, silversmith and other

precious metal work

• Manufacture of bronzeware

• Thai doll making

• Manufacture of mattresses and padded

blankets

• Alms bowl making

• Manual silk product making

• Buddha image making

• Manufacture of knives

• Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication

• Shoemaking

• Hat making

• Brokerage or agency work, except in

international business

• Dressmaking

• Pottery or ceramics

• Manual cigarette rolling

• Legal or litigation service

• Clerical or secretarial work

• Manual silk reeling and weaving

• Thai character type-setting

• Hawking business

• Tourist guide or tour organising

agency

• Architectural work

• Civil engineering work

Will they still be able to apply these restrictions post 2015?

[dcutman]

Tourism service providers? does that mean i can employ all hotel staff from Philippines?

I am not a 100% but I think you might be ok in some fields. Why people would want to come to Thailand to perform 90% of these occupations I have no idea.

Restricted occupations

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations that were then closed to aliens. This list has

been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 1979. Prohibited occupations are:

• Labour

• Work in agriculture, animal breeding,

forestry, fishery or general farm

supervision

• Masonry, carpentry, or other

construction work

• Wood carving

• Driving motor vehicles or nonmotorised

carriers, except for piloting

international aircraft

• Shop attendant

• Auctioning

• Supervising, auditing or giving

services in accounting, except

occasional international auditing

• Gem cutting and polishing

• Hair cutting, hair dressing and

beautician work

• Hand weaving

• Mat weaving or making of wares from

reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo

pulp

• Manufacture of manual fibrous paper

• Manufacture of lacquerware

• Thai musical instrument production

• Manufacture of nielloware

• Goldsmith, silversmith and other

precious metal work

• Manufacture of bronzeware

• Thai doll making

• Manufacture of mattresses and padded

blankets

• Alms bowl making

• Manual silk product making

• Buddha image making

• Manufacture of knives

• Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication

• Shoemaking

• Hat making

• Brokerage or agency work, except in

international business

• Dressmaking

• Pottery or ceramics

• Manual cigarette rolling

• Legal or litigation service

• Clerical or secretarial work

• Manual silk reeling and weaving

• Thai character type-setting

• Hawking business

• Tourist guide or tour organising

agency

• Architectural work

• Civil engineering work

Will they still be able to apply these restrictions post 2015?

A better question IMO, is why Thailand would want to? Unless this labor shortage and near zero unemployment is not as what they say.

[Thai at Heart]

I guess that list shows what people considered the growth industries in 1979.

[Loptr]

Too bad they won't be able to whinge anymore about foreigners taking their jobs as the government has seen to that.

[lemoncake]

i have been thinking about 2015 from my perspective ie hotel staff and its kind of double ended stick.

yes i could finally employ fluent english speaking staff,but then who would deal with the locals? ie Filipinos can speak English but cannot speak Thai, which means they will not be able to even explain directions to a taxi driver.

On the other hand, if i mix the staff, again have a problem as they will not understand each other.

Same may apply to bigger company's where they will have Thai management, but non thai staff, so again have a problem.

I can see the benefit for other nations, but can not see any benefit for Thai's perhaps only for ones who go to work in Singapore, but with Thai work ethics, how would they last?! ie facebooking or speaking on the phone or whatever while customers wait.

Perhaps skilled professionals would be different, for example doctors, but i think skilled Thai doctors already make just as much as Western Doctors, i know when i had my surgery here in Thailand, it cost me the same as it would have cost in Oz

and the less skilled ones, do not speak enough english

Edited February 1, 2013 by lemoncake

[Thai at Heart]

i have been thinking about 2015 from my perspective ie hotel staff and its kind of double ended stick.

yes i could finally employ fluent english speaking staff,but then who would deal with the locals? ie Filipinos can speak English but cannot speak Thai, which means they will not be able to even explain directions to a taxi driver.

On the other hand, if i mix the staff, again have a problem as they will not understand each other.

Same may apply to bigger company's where they will have Thai management, but non thai staff, so again have a problem.

I can see the benefit for other nations, but can not see any benefit for Thai's perhaps only for ones who go to work in Singapore, but with Thai work ethics, how would they last?! ie facebooking or speaking on the phone or whatever while customers wait.

Perhaps skilled professionals would be different, for example doctors, but i think skilled Thai doctors already make just as much as Western Doctors, i know when i had my surgery here in Thailand, it cost me the same as it would have cost in Oz

and the less skilled ones, do not speak enough english

its all about choice. at the 5 star end of hotel industry, anyone can come without work permits. As for doctors, at the end, getting access is the most important thing. Of course this is down to being able to afford it, but believe me, having had a father in the medical profession, knowing whom to speak to with the largest experience and training is the issue.

If the best heart surgeon in Asia decides to open a clinic in Bangkok, you think anyone will give a hoot which language he speaks?

[lemoncake]

i have been thinking about 2015 from my perspective ie hotel staff and its kind of double ended stick.

yes i could finally employ fluent english speaking staff,but then who would deal with the locals? ie Filipinos can speak English but cannot speak Thai, which means they will not be able to even explain directions to a taxi driver.

On the other hand, if i mix the staff, again have a problem as they will not understand each other.

Same may apply to bigger company's where they will have Thai management, but non thai staff, so again have a problem.

I can see the benefit for other nations, but can not see any benefit for Thai's perhaps only for ones who go to work in Singapore, but with Thai work ethics, how would they last?! ie facebooking or speaking on the phone or whatever while customers wait.

Perhaps skilled professionals would be different, for example doctors, but i think skilled Thai doctors already make just as much as Western Doctors, i know when i had my surgery here in Thailand, it cost me the same as it would have cost in Oz

and the less skilled ones, do not speak enough english

its all about choice. at the 5 star end of hotel industry, anyone can come without work permits. As for doctors, at the end, getting access is the most important thing. Of course this is down to being able to afford it, but believe me, having had a father in the medical profession, knowing whom to speak to with the largest experience and training is the issue.

If the best heart surgeon in Asia decides to open a clinic in Bangkok, you think anyone will give a hoot which language he speaks?

I think you misunderstood my point.

Firstly about the staff at hotel, yes they will come but say they need to explain taxi driver the directions, but they do not speak Thai-its a problem

Staff are mixed, so possible problems of misunderstandings.

About the doctors, what i was saying was that Singaporean doctor has not reason to come to Thailand because his/her pay is high enough in Singapore and good Thai doctors are well paid here, where not so good Thai, does not speak enough English to work in Singapore.

[Locationthailand]

I can just see the influx of people lined up. Boat people, refugees and such like, and of course the skills they will bring will be absolutely astounding. But let's not forget immigration and issue of work permits. I can just see the queues now. As for reality of Non Imm and then attaching a Work Permit? Zero...