Labor shortages in Thailand remain unresolved for over a decade

BANGKOK, 31 May 2013 (NNT) - Permanent Secretary for Labor Somkiat Chayasriwong has urged all concerned agencies to help tackle ongoing labor shortages in Thailand, adding that bringing foreign labors to fill in vacancies cannot be done in a hasty manner.

Mr. Somkiat said labor shortages in the country have been a problem in Thailand for longer than a decade and will exacerbate if those directly involved do not take actions. He indicated that the shortages are not a direct result of economic issues as the country has always been faced with the problem regardless of the economic situation.

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the importance of product quality, saying entrepreneurs should set it as their top priority in order to be able to compete with others when the ASEAN Economic Community takes shape. However, he noted that semi-skilled occupations in Thailand have been in dire need of more workers.

Mr. Somkiat explained that importing migrant workers from overseas is not the ultimate solution to the shortages as it can only be done gradually with utmost care. He said the oversupply of foreign labors has posed many problems in the past.

According the Permanent Secretary, the agricultural sector is still in need of around 404,977 more workers this year while 183,995 workers are needed in the industrial sector and another 449,425 in the service sector.


-- NNT 2013-05-31

The area of Pathum Thani that I live in has become saturated with Cambodians, all available accommodation has been rented by employers for them and local factories are now offering salary's of 330฿ day.

Its not easy to find Thai's willing to work at or just above minimum wage in a factory environment at the moment. I have found that the Burmese, Laos and Cambodians have not only been willing but also very good workers and decent chaps too.

I thought that getting Thais to work has been a problem for 2556 years; and I am not describing noodle soup either. Why the mock urgency now?

This news will turn into just another usual thread. In simple it should simply say

Thailand government to continue to exploit burmese, cambodians, loas for labor as cheap labor is needed in thailand

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I wonder if anyone asked for facts when this was said.

He said the oversupply of foreign labors has posed many problems in the past.

The only problem I would see is that foreign workers would tend to actually work and possibly think out a problem...

Thailand is not the only country that has an issue with nationals wanting to work. Just to name a couple look at Saudi Arabia and look at the USA. Thats why in many cases a skilled craftsman makes more cash than PHD holders. Put up a sign in Houston looking for a Skilled Diesel Mechanic. Put up another sign looking for a PHD. See which position is easier to fill. Everybody wants to sit behind a desk and tell people how to work, not many want to work.

If you Google 'Cambodian slaves in Thailand' you get some disturbing news.

hey, WP for all farang that live here, so some can go teach legally in schools, and those bad teachers can become cops, and the cops can go back to be farmers

As I've sad before, get rid of the sidewalk shops and there will be many looking for a job!

Is sitting around a shack drinking beer all day "working?"

Next thing you'll be doing is accusing K.T of not working for the benefit of the country while he was PM.

Shame on you

Many foreign manufacturers in Thailand hire new graduates from trade school, than after a six month period send then to advanced training. This is especially true in the automotive and electronics industry. A neighbors son is going to senior high at King Monkhut in Automotive, he will have a job with Automotive Alliance when he graduates, and works st the factory on school break.

Keep increasing the minimum wage and that should sort out the labour shortage in no time.

That's an untrue statement... There is enough need for employment in several areas, like in environmental science, engineering, machinery, construction, infrastructure science...

The bottom line is, over 80% or more of this population, ESPECIALLY the middle to upper class is just too lazy and embarrassed to do a thing that is called "dirty work", as these people rather seek office jobs in which they can play Facebook and other social media online games all day long for double the salary for delivering an exceptionally insolent service to society...

... No Thailand has no labor shortage problem, it has an attitude towards dirty work and real problem need solving alike problem... and their spoilt "innocent brats" couldn't care less as long as they receive their money and Angry Birds toys and whatever all day long... Why should these lazy a$$ed kids care to make their hands and feet dirty???

That's an untrue statement... There is enough need for employment in several areas, like in environmental science, engineering, machinery, construction, infrastructure science...

The bottom line is, over 80% or more of this population, ESPECIALLY the middle to upper class is just too lazy and embarrassed to do a thing that is called "dirty work", as these people rather seek office jobs in which they can play Facebook and other social media online games all day long for double the salary for delivering an exceptionally insolent service to society...

... No Thailand has no labor shortage problem, it has an attitude towards dirty work and real problem need solving alike problem... and their spoilt "innocent brats" couldn't care less as long as they receive their money and Angry Birds toys and whatever all day long... Why should these lazy a$$ed kids care to make their hands and feet dirty???

An education system that scatters graduation papers like confetti doesn't help. Everyone (love sweeping statements!) has a high opinion of their own importance because they have a degree in.....

Take the lady working in a car showroom. I took advantage of her faltering English to ask if she went to University. Turns out she majored in English!! A similar standard in the 1st world would barely earn a GCSE.

With security in Myanmar slowly returning (barring some recent anti-Muslim riots) I suspect a lot of Myanmar nationals will soon return to Myanmar to find work in their country, given it is rapidly emerging from decades of self-imposed isolation. Rather than be exploited and work for a pittance at the bottom of the social ladder with few rights and often at risk of deportation due to being in Thailand illegally, being able to get a decent job or even open their own businesses back home seems like a much better prospect.

There is a wonderful Thai/western food restaurant situated just outside Hpa-an in Kayin State on the road to Thailand called hpa-whee restaurant. It opened back in February and I was one of their first customers. After having about 3 meals there in a row, I returned in April for more. Turns out the family running the place used to live in Thailand but have now permanently moved back to Myanmar where their business is doing well. Now with the imminent opening of the overland route from Mae Sot in Thailand to foreign travelers towns like Hpa-an will soon be full of visitors (even now the place is already teeming with visitors) and this restaurant stands to benefit.