Thai tourism personnel urged to improve English skills to tap job opportunities in Asean

Thailand has signed the Asean Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (MRA on TP), which allows tourism personnel in 32 work positions to seek employment in all Asean countries, said Wanasiri.
“But their qualifications must meet Asean standards, including the requirements on English language skills,” she stressed.
English, she said, remains the main weakness of Thai tourism personnel when compared with their peers in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
“So if they want to have job opportunities in other Asean countries, they must improve their English language skills immediately,” she said.
The MRA on TP, she said, will increase job opportunities for tourism personnel if they pass the Asean standard assessment and receive the required certification.
Tourism personnel whose qualifications meet Asean standards, including English language skills, can apply for assessment and certification from the Tourism Professional Certification Board.
“Once certified, their names will be included in the Asean Professional Registration System which works as a job-matching platform for employers and tourism personnel to contact one another for further job interviews,” explained Wanasiri.
Certified tourism personnel under the Asean Professional Registration System are eligible to work in all Asean member states. They do not need to be reassessed by the host countries, but they would be governed by domestic laws and regulations, said Wanasiri.
“Being in the Asean Professional Registration System, therefore, offers great benefits. It is a comprehensive human resources database for tourism operators. And since people in this database system are considered quality tourism personnel by Asean standards, they have more opportunities to get job offers to work in the region,” she said.