The Ministry of Labour opened the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting, bringing together over 350 representatives from across the region to set directions for labour development.
On 26 August 2026, Captain Phatdarasmi Thongsaluaykorn, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, stated that at 10:45 a.m. today, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the opening of the meeting under the theme “Developing ASEAN Human Capital: Skill Certification towards International Recognition.” He emphasized that ASEAN has a labour force of 357 million people, representing a large pool of human capital with great potential, yet facing challenges from AI technology, an aging society, and the transition to a green economy.
The Prime Minister said the Thai government is driving the Skill Bridge initiative to link lifelong learning with practical work through a Credit Bank system and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This aims to equip all labour groups, including vulnerable and informal workers, with recognized skills, fair wages, and improved quality of life. He urged ASEAN member countries to cooperate in building cross-border qualification equivalency and recognition systems to ensure efficient labour mobility without leaving anyone behind.
The ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting (ALMM), held biennially, is hosted by Thailand this year from 23 to 28 August 2026. The focus is on advancing three key pillars: certification of training courses, skill standard recognition, and the accreditation of ASEAN Centres of Excellence. The event has attracted ministers and senior representatives from ASEAN member states, ASEAN Plus Three countries (China, Japan, South Korea), and international organizations.