Trucking firms in Thailand recruit soldiers

[webfact]

Soldiers! Trucking Firms Want You
By Warangkana Chomchuen

BANGKOK: -- To combat a shortage of truck drivers, Thailand’s transport industry is enlisting government help to recruit young soldiers as they leave the army.

Land-logistics organizations say that the Southeast Asian country desperately needs 140,000 drivers, representing 15% to 20% of some 900,000 trucks registered to transport goods.

“We have a lot of trucks sitting in the parking lot but no driver,” said Soros Vatanasilp, director of the Land Transportation Association of Thailand, a trade organization.

The traditional method of bringing young drivers into the business—truckers’ passing on the keys to the younger generation in their families—has more or less collapsed in the past decade. Younger men who spent their childhoods sitting with their dads and uncles in the truck are becoming more educated and choosing different careers.

So the industry is seeking help from the Department of Land Transport, the country’s transportation supervisory body, to come up with alternative ways to recruit and retain professional drivers.

Full story: http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2013/08/16/soldiers-trucking-firms-want-you/

-- THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 2013-08-16

[Bluespunk]

"So the industry is seeking help from the Department of Land Transport, the countrys transportation supervisory body, to come up with alternative ways to recruit and retain professional drivers"

Hmm, decent wages? Safe working hours? Medical coverage?

[worgeordie]

Yes, ex tank drivers should make good truck drivers for the Thai roads !

regards Worgeordie

[NongKhaiKid]

Yes, ex tank drivers should make good truck drivers for the Thai roads !

regards Worgeordie

What a thought ex-tank drivers joining all the would be Formula 1 drivers. I may stay indoors for the rest of my life.

[swifty5x5]

I don't see what being a soldier has to do with trucking. What they need is a drivers education course, to drive trucks, funded by the truck companies.

[Ricardo]

Makes sense that someone trained in the army to drive trucks on public-roads, might then go on to do it after leaving, but doesn't that already happen ?

Or perhaps the government might plan to move more transport onto the railways, as part of a sensible development of the transport-infrastructure, but that would require long-term planning.

[kimincm]

140,000 extra trucks on the road sounds pretty scary to me.

[OzMick]

As the OP refers to young soldiers, I assume they are referring to conscripts completing their service. As well as basic infantry weapons handling, these conscripts will have picked up a range of skills, and many will be competent truck drivers, but I doubt that any get to drive a tank.

BTW it is not unusual to find conscripts/recruits who are illiterate and who will spend most of their service rectifying that.

Edited August 16, 2013 by OzMick

[FarangTalk]

As if a supply of free yaabaa wasn't enough to tempt these young folks into a trucking career.

[chainarong]

I can understand the junior family members not wanting to drive trucks in Thailand, neither do I, perhaps they value their lives more than good ol dad , uncle or grandad.

[MaxLee]

Has anybody thought about, that maybe nowadays, young people nowadays don't wanna be soldiers or just doing it because military drafting forces then to???

Welcome to the 21st century

Ah yes and driving trucks, sure young people nowadays are soooo keen and enthusiastic about this job....

Get a grip

[kimamey]

Not a bad idea really but what about allowing foreigners to drive trucks as well. There will be some who are truck drivers anyway and will be well trained. There will be some who are ex military as well. I don't know if the test for driving a truck is any more vigorous as that for cars and bikes but I suspect it isn't. In that case I although I've never driven a large truck I will still be better qualified than most Thai drivers.

[MaxLee]

Truck driving for young people in Thailand,... LOL.... wrong target group!!!! And actually traffic getting worst and worst with already too many trucks on the roads...

[tonneke breda]

In many european countries there are a lot off truck drivers without jobs, who I know some would like to drive and live in Thailand.

But government says that this is a job only for Thais

[moe666]

Some of you guys are being a bit harsh on Thai Truck Drivers. After a recent motorcycle crash a truck driver used his rig to block the lane, iwas in, from on coming traffic and then him and his wife gave me a hand getting my bike off the road from their reaction I could tell they were very concerned about me and if I was ok. From my experience knock off the trash talk about the truck drivers.

[impulse]

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Soldiers leaving after serving their country need jobs and trucking companies can leverage the discipline they picked up in the military.

[chrisinth]

I can understand the junior family members not wanting to drive trucks in Thailand, neither do I, perhaps they value their lives more than good ol dad , uncle or grandad. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

Shows how the country has changed in such a short time. When granddad was driving trucks, his was likely the only vehicle on the road.

Apart from the other trucks off course and buffalo carts...............

[geriatrickid]

In many european countries there are a lot off truck drivers without jobs, who I know some would like to drive and live in Thailand.

But government says that this is a job only for Thais

Ooooo brilliant................. Not.

Would these drivers work at Thai wages? Are they capable of filling out the paper work in Thai? Would they be able to communicate with co-workers, clients, people they crash into? The last thing Thailand needs is the import of middle aged foreign males with limited financial resources, limited education and an inability to integrate.

[uty6543]

In many european countries there are a lot off truck drivers without jobs, who I know some would like to drive and live in Thailand.

But government says that this is a job only for Thais

Ooooo brilliant................. Not.

Would these drivers work at Thai wages? Are they capable of filling out the paper work in Thai? Would they be able to communicate with co-workers, clients, people they crash into? The last thing Thailand needs is the import of middle aged foreign males with limited financial resources, limited education and an inability to integrate.

Its a pity you did not put your brain in gear before you crashed in to the keyboard.

Your right western drivers are unlikely to work for Thai wages but teachers do. You get about without speaking or reading and writing Thai (I presume). Many drivers travel across the whole of Europe without being able to speak every language of all the countries they visit.

Why would truck drivers be of limited financial resources, limited education or be unable to integrate. No ones needs a university degree to go to another country. We adapt to the situation. Easy really. If you think about it.

[chickenslegs]

I don't see what being a soldier has to do with trucking. What they need is a drivers education course, to drive trucks, funded by the truck companies.

From the main article:

...three-month training program, set to begin this month at Naresuan University in the northern province of Phitsanulok, will offer some 100 hours behind the wheel of a 10-wheel truck plus classroom time devoted to topics including cross-border logistics and basic Mandarin and English. So far 40 soldiers have signed up, drawn by a package that includes a guaranteed monthly income of 20,000 baht ($640). That compares with about 15,000 baht for an entry-level government employee with a bachelor’s degree.

Many of those ex-soldiers will have no qualifications when they leave the military and will be hard pressed to find a job paying 20,000 a month. So this sounds like a great opportunity for them.

And, with a few years of experience under their belt, they may be able to find much better paid driving jobs in other parts of Asia/the world.

Edited August 16, 2013 by chickenslegs

[richard10365]

This happens in the USA all the time.

[MaxLee]

We have enough vehicles on the road PLUS the First car scheme, more trucks would cause a nationwide gridlock!!!

[geriatrickid]

In many european countries there are a lot off truck drivers without jobs, who I know some would like to drive and live in Thailand.

But government says that this is a job only for Thais

Ooooo brilliant................. Not.

Would these drivers work at Thai wages? Are they capable of filling out the paper work in Thai? Would they be able to communicate with co-workers, clients, people they crash into? The last thing Thailand needs is the import of middle aged foreign males with limited financial resources, limited education and an inability to integrate.

Its a pity you did not put your brain in gear before you crashed in to the keyboard.

Your right western drivers are unlikely to work for Thai wages but teachers do. You get about without speaking or reading and writing Thai (I presume). Many drivers travel across the whole of Europe without being able to speak every language of all the countries they visit.

Why would truck drivers be of limited financial resources, limited education or be unable to integrate. No ones needs a university degree to go to another country. We adapt to the situation. Easy really. If you think about it.

The quality of foreign teachers working for "Thai wages" has been discussed to death. In simple English, they are usually unqualified. Driving an expensive big rig requires a skilled driver. Do you honestly think a skilled foreigner is going to give up a decent job to work for a pittance?

In respect to the language issue, it is an important factor. The issue is not cross border trucking. In the EU, most of the key transit hubs have staff that can speak multiple languages. In Thailand, the typical worker or official does not speak a foreign language such as Polish, German, or English etc. The EU road system features well planned highways usually with clear signage. Unfortunately, that is not the case in Thailand, once one gets away from the large tourist centers. How do you expect a foreign driver to cope when he has a breakdown up in Nahkon Nowhere? The kind of trucker that would end up in Thailand working for Thai wages would be similar to the kind of teacher who would work for Thai wages, usually a person unemployable at the job in his/her homeland. Foreign teachers are not expected to speak Thai. General workers are.

[tomross46]

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Soldiers leaving after serving their country need jobs and trucking companies can leverage the discipline they picked up in the military.

I agree, men coming out of the military, need to find work. It is good to see that one organization is helping the veterans. During the flood it was the military that was delivering the relief supplies, evacuating people, providing needed transportation. It was not a bunch of greedy politicians, all they were doing was lining there pockets, parasites on the backs of the people. Support the military, they are there to help the people. Soldiers do not cause wars or conflicts; politicians do. All the coups we have had were because of politicians.

[uty6543]

In many european countries there are a lot off truck drivers without jobs, who I know some would like to drive and live in Thailand.

But government says that this is a job only for Thais

Ooooo brilliant................. Not.

Would these drivers work at Thai wages? Are they capable of filling out the paper work in Thai? Would they be able to communicate with co-workers, clients, people they crash into? The last thing Thailand needs is the import of middle aged foreign males with limited financial resources, limited education and an inability to integrate.

Its a pity you did not put your brain in gear before you crashed in to the keyboard.

Your right western drivers are unlikely to work for Thai wages but teachers do. You get about without speaking or reading and writing Thai (I presume). Many drivers travel across the whole of Europe without being able to speak every language of all the countries they visit.

Why would truck drivers be of limited financial resources, limited education or be unable to integrate. No ones needs a university degree to go to another country. We adapt to the situation. Easy really. If you think about it.

The quality of foreign teachers working for "Thai wages" has been discussed to death. In simple English, they are usually unqualified. Driving an expensive big rig requires a skilled driver. Do you honestly think a skilled foreigner is going to give up a decent job to work for a pittance?

In respect to the language issue, it is an important factor. The issue is not cross border trucking. In the EU, most of the key transit hubs have staff that can speak multiple languages. In Thailand, the typical worker or official does not speak a foreign language such as Polish, German, or English etc. The EU road system features well planned highways usually with clear signage. Unfortunately, that is not the case in Thailand, once one gets away from the large tourist centers. How do you expect a foreign driver to cope when he has a breakdown up in Nahkon Nowhere? The kind of trucker that would end up in Thailand working for Thai wages would be similar to the kind of teacher who would work for Thai wages, usually a person unemployable at the job in his/her homeland. Foreign teachers are not expected to speak Thai. General workers are.

You are making broad statements which are extremely unlikely to be correct.

“In simple English, they are usually unqualified.” To keep it in simple English for you that’s rubbish. In my experience here full time teacher’s qualifications vary from university qualified with masters degrees down to the TEFL certified. There are now some part time (13 hours a week) on a government scheme without qualifications referred to as guest speakers. There are of course a few with there papers from Khao San road but that would not be USUAL

“Do you honestly think a skilled foreigner is going to give up a decent job to work for a pittance?” Can you not read? I wrote “Your right western drivers are unlikely to work for Thai wages.”

“In respect to the language issue, it is an important factor” It is not as important as you seam to think. Any expat here that wants to see more of Thailand than the tourist centers would encounter the same difficulties. If I think about the problem I can find a solution to it and so can most people. I have broken down here on my own near Lam Plai Mat not a tourist center. I coped.

When Poland and Romania became members of the EU thousands of drivers came to work in England without being able to speak English. They managed.

But it is nice to see you refer to them as "skilled drivers" instead of “foreign males with limited financial resources, limited education and an inability to integrate."

[taneshaleo]

This is really great news... If anyone here looking for CDL jobs do visit the website...

Edited December 30, 2013 by taneshaleo

[thailauren]

I can think of many farangs who will drive much better on the roads and would do it just for a WP and to see the country and a small salary. And yet even though there is a shortage of labour the immi looks to make it difficult for foreigners to come/stay/work in Thailand.

Hmmmm........

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