- Thailand highlights Korean language boom with 45,000 Thai learners at 7th APEC Education Ministers' Meeting in Jeju
- Vice Minister Siripong proposes bilingual vocational training for Thai workers bound for South Korean shipyards
- Thailand-South Korea labor pact to send 3,000 skilled workers in 2024 strengthens bilateral ties and workforce development
At the 7th APEC Ministerial Meeting of Educations in Jeju Province, Republic of Korea, Mr. Bancha Yuenyongchongcharoen, Royal Thai Embassy's Minister in Seoul, greeted H.E. Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, Vice Minister for Education of Thailand, and Dr. Phichet Phophakdee, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education, present with their delegation.
Minister Bancha emphasized the strong bilateral relationship between Thailand and the Republic of Korea (ROK), focusing on key areas including trade, investment, tourism, education, and labor. Most strikingly, more than 45,000 Thai students are studying the Korean language, the highest in the world. This reflects increased interest in Korean language and culture among Thais and offers great potential to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Vice Minister Siripong showed willingness to improve vocational education in Thailand. He suggested the implementation of a pilot project to develop skilled Thai workers who are bilingual in the Korean language, designed to work in South Korean shipyards. This project is intended to support Thailand's larger plan to overcome labor shortages within South Korea's shipping sector.
In March 2024, Thailand's Labor Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn got an agreement to dispatch 3,000 professional Thai laborers to South Korea's shipyards, including leading players such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industry and Samsung Heavy Industries. The laborers trained in shipbuilding and related disciplines will receive language training and apprenticeships, with the potential of going into full-time employment upon completion. The program is designed to strengthen Thailand's labor export program, which aims to send 100,000 workers overseas that year, with a priority on developing language skills to international standards.
The vocational training and labor exchange cooperation between Thailand and South Korea not only meets short-term employment requirements but also establishes long-term economic and cultural bonds between the two countries. Through investments in education and professional training, both countries are making a foundation for an intergrated and mutually rewarding relationship in the future.
