Study visit UI Thailand July 2012
Fellowship Study Visit on Unemployment Insurance and Employment Services
Bangkok and Ayutthaya, Thailand, 24-26 July 2012
While the impact of the global economic and financial crisis has been large on the ten countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the region has rebounded remarkably. However, employment creation is estimated to have occurred at a slower path, and the crisis has definitely slowed down the declining trend between 2003 and 2008 in the share of workers in vulnerable employment (60 per cent of the workforce).
Among the ASEAN countries, Thailand has the longest experience with unemployment insurance benefits. Therefore, the neighbouring countries have expressed a strong interest to learn from the Thai experience related to unemployment protection. To meet this request, the ILO-ASEAN UI Project is supporting the organization of a study visit to the institutions responsible for the implementation of the unemployment insurance scheme in Thailand, including the public employment services.
Objectives
i. To enrich the knowledge and understanding of the participants on the topic of unemployment insurance and employment services by learning from Thailand’s practices on providing support to the unemployed, especially the link between UI cash benefits with employment and vocational training services.
ii. To learn from the experience of Thailand in the design process of the unemployment insurance (UI) scheme, its adjustments overtime, its institutional set-up and coverage, as well as the performance and challenges in the implementation, including during economic crisis and natural disasters.
iii.To contribute to create a network of experts on unemployment insurance, employment and vocational training services among the ASEAN region, these experts/officials are currently implementing the employment insurance scheme or are in the stage of designing the scheme in their respective countries.
Methodology
1) Lectures given by Thai senior professional officials and experts on selected topics.
2) Site visit at institutions delivering employment insurance services.
3) Knowledge sharing through questions and answers sessions.
Presentations
Session I: Socio-economic context and employment trends in Thailand,by Ms Gunjanaporn Saigal, International Relations Officer, Senior Professional Level, Bureau of International Coordination, Office of the Permanent Secretary
Session II: Labour Market Information Analysis, by Mr Wuttiipan Tantivong, Labour Specialist, Department of Employment
Session III: Overview of the Social Security System in Thailand, by Ms Nawarat Boonpiam, Foreign Relations Officer, Policy and Planning Division, Social Security Office
Session IV: The design process of the unemployment insurance (UI)scheme in Thailand and its adjustments overtime.Description of the UI scheme and its institutional set-up, by Ms Somsong Sirirak, Director of Benefits Bureau, Social Security Office
Session V: Description of operations of the UI scheme, by Ms Yaowaluk Sawatatikom, Labor Specialist Senoir Professional Level, Benefits Bureau, Social Security Office
Session VI: Responsibilities and functions of the Public Employment Services in Thailand, by Ms Piengpahp Withayachumnarnkul, Chief of Foreign Relations Division, Department of Employment
Session VII: Linkages of UI and employment services with vocational training and skills development services, by Mr Sandod Themsawanglert, Director of Office of Instructor and Training Technology Development, Department of Skill Development
Session VIII: Overall performance of the UI scheme, lessons learned and persisting challenges, including role of the UI scheme during economic crisis and natural disasters, by Ms Nawarat Boonpiam, Foreign Relations Officer, Policy and Planning Division, Social Security Office
Session IX: Extension of social protection and employment support services to informal economy workers, by Mr Seela Keotabhand, Labor Specialist, Chief of Standard of Social Security for Informal Sector, Social Security Office
Session X: Presentation of the UI operations in Ayutthaya Province, the One Counter Service approach, by Ms Chalorlux Keawpung , Director, Ayutthaya Provincial Social Security Office
News and photos from Ministry of Labour, Thailand