Severe labour shortage looms

Poonsak Wuthikul, vice president of the Thai Auto-parts Producers Association, said workers in the automobile industry were getting older, while the younger generation tended to spend more time studying rather than entering the workforce. Also, the retirement regulation forces people out of the industry too early at the age of 55, he said.
By 2030, up to 25 per cent of the Thai population will be aged 60 or more, Poonsak said.
Hence, he added, the government should change its regulation and allow older workers, who are still capable, to continue working. He also said that factories should be offered tax incentives for hiring senior workers.
Wanna Dulyasithiporn, from the Human Capacity Building Institute, said many industries will be lacking in workers in the next decade or so. For instance, producers of auto parts will need at least 185,000 new workers in the next decade, the electronics industry will need some 100,000, electrical appliances and the integrated-circuit industry will want 60,000, while the metal industry will have 54,000 vacancies.
“Though they are considered unskilled labour, their experience helps them produce good quality work. They are better than the younger generation who will replace them when they retire early,” she said.
Thai society is ageing fast, but the younger generation is still have lower level of skills despite higher education level, said Kulthida Lertphongwattana, from the National Economic and Social Development Board.
In comparison to other countries, the education system in Thailand is below standard, she said, adding that human resources failed to meet market demands in terms of quantity and quality, she said.
Thailand needs to boost the quality of its population in all aspects as well as offer better social benefits for its ageing population, she said.