Thailand's low-skill workforce not fit for the future
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Re: "Labour market won't be seriously affected by AEC: recruiter", October 13.
The graphic that accompanies this report came as a shock: Thailand is focusing on unskilled labour to the point where we have one of the highest ratios of unskilled to skilled labour – 80:20 – in Asean. And that’s despite the fact that we produce hundreds of thousands of graduates each year.
I think the authorities are well aware of this disparity. The real point is that the market demand for skilled labour seems not to have been gauged seriously and clearly.
So what’s Thailand’s strategy? Will we merely wait for Asean markets to be opened up in 2015 then gradually import free-flowing skilled labour from our neighbours? Instead, shouldn’t we be building and developing a skilled workforce through our own education institutions, and only importing skilled labour when there’s a shortfall?
Entrepreneurs are losing business opportunities, and the country’s economic growth is lower than its potential because we let skilled workers leave and fail to equip the next generation with the skills necessary to creating opportunities.
Sutipunt Bongsununt
