The Ministry of Labour and five other ministries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thailand’s occupational safety and health cooperative program entitled ‘Safety Thailand’ to enhance cooperation to reduce occupational hazard rate and to sustainably promote quality of life of workers.

General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister, presided over the signing ceremony of the MOU among the six ministries namely the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Industry, saying that the overall occupational hazard and occupational related hazard situation has improved, although the rate of occupational hazards in Thailand is still high compared with other countries, especially developed countries. It is, therefore, the duty of all parties to work together in overcoming the challenge. General Prawit said he is pleased to see the six ministries signing the MOU and pledging to work together to promote occupational safety and health for workers, which would, thus, help foster security of the people in all sectors. Achieving occupational safety is part of the Startup Thailand agenda, which Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha places emphasis on. The prime minister often stresses on efforts to promote safety for workers for as much as possible. The issue, therefore, is an important government policy, said the deputy prime minister, adding that he hopes the six ministries would work together diligently and operations under the MOU would eventually help reduce occupational hazards, accidents and occupational diseases, which in turn would sustainably foster security and quality of life of workers and the people.

General Sirichai Distakul, Minister of Labour, said in his capacity as the representative of the six ministries that according to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn statement on the occasion of the royal visit to the official opening ceremony of the Industrial Rehabilitation Centre in the northeastern region in Khon Kaen Province on December 1, 2014, the promotion of occupational safety at workplace protects workers from suffering injuries and disabilities. From the words of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, occupational safety and health is therefore an issue that needs to place an emphasis on. In addition, the government has announced the “Pracharat Policy” (state of the people) to achieve security, prosperity and sustainability in Thailand to keep up with changes in economic, social, cultural and technological environments as the country becomes part of the ASEAN Community. Thailand has also ratified the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No.187). In March, 2016, the Ministry of Labour, therefore, initiated the Safety Thailand program as part of the Startup Thailand agenda. The Ministry of Labour discussed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Industry and realized an agreement on operations to promote safety and occupational health for workers and the people in all sectors.

The Safety Thailand program has the objective to enhance cooperation on occupational safety and health among relevant agencies under the six ministries to reduce occupational hazards. It also determines Thailand’s strategy on occupational safety and health, which composes of 2 phases ; the 6-months phase and the long-term phase that aim to reduce occupational hazards, accidents and occupational diseases, which would help sustainably foster security and quality of life of workers.