Bangkok: There are currently 310,000 job openings in the country, yet over 25,000 recent bachelor's degree graduates remain unemployed, highlighting a significant mismatch between qualifications and available job opportunities. The government is taking urgent steps to address this issue.
According to Thai News Agency, the government is accelerating efforts to tackle the problem of unemployed new graduates by partnering with 35 major private sector companies. This collaboration aims to develop workforce skills that align with market demands. One of the key initiatives includes upgrading the "Thailand Has Jobs" platform to enhance job matching efficiency and reduce the mismatch between workforce skills and business requirements.
Lieutenant Colonel Patthadarasmi Thongslueykorn, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, disclosed that the government, through the Ministry of Labour, is prioritizing the employment of new graduates and developing a workforce that meets the needs of the business sector. Data from the Ministry of Labour's "Thai Jobs" platform indicates that there are currently over 311,983 job vacancies, yet more than 25,000 bachelor's degree graduates are still searching for jobs. This reflects a skill mismatch between the workforce's skills and market demands.
The deputy spokesperson explained that this situation aligns with the National Economic and Social Development Council's report on the state of Thai society, which highlights that the majority of unemployed individuals who have never worked before are university graduates. A significant number of long-term unemployed individuals are aged 20-29. This underscores the need for all sectors to collaboratively address the development of workforce skills to keep pace with technological changes and new industries. "The Ministry of Labour is accelerating concrete collaboration with the private sector. We have held discussions with 35 leading companies to drive a public-private partnership approach to creating highly skilled labor. This will use the needs of businesses as the basis for workforce skills development, ensuring that job seekers, especially recent graduates, have opportunities to find jobs that match their potential and foster career growth," Captain Patthadarasmi stated.
The deputy spokesperson further noted that in addition to workforce skills development, the Ministry of Labour is advancing efforts to upgrade the "Thailand Has Jobs" platform to become a central hub that connects job information and skill requirements of the business sector. This aims to improve job matching efficiency, reduce labor shortages, and help government training programs design more effectively to meet the needs of the labor market. The government is also reviewing and improving laws and benefits to facilitate future employment. "The government believes that solving unemployment must start with matching people to jobs, not just increasing the number of jobs. It requires upgrading the skills of the Thai workforce to be ready for new industries and high-value investments, creating stable jobs, adequate income, and enhancing the country's long-term competitiveness," said Lieutenant Colonel Pattarasmi.
Individuals seeking employment and employers wishing to advertise job openings through the "Thai Jobs" website can contact the Provincial Employment Offices in every province, the Bangkok Metropolitan Employment Offices (Areas 1-10), or the Department of Employment hotline at 1506, press 2, for more information.