The rapid growth and diversification of industry and economic activity in Thailand in recent years has helped the Kingdom make remarkable progress towards prosperity. However, this same growth has also presented Thailand with new challenges in a wide variety of fields, including, of course, occupational safety and health.

        Occupational health and safety issues grow and diversify at the same speed as the economy. New processes, new industries and new developments may all bring new hazards. Guarding against those hazards requires the active involvement of all three of the ILO’s tripartite constituents, government, employers and workers. The cost of every single occupational accident or disease, measured in terms of both human suffering and economic loss, is huge. Considered nationally, the costs are enormous.

        The Government of Thailand has recognized the importance of occupational health and safety issues in its Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan, making the reduction of preventable accidents a development target. It is hoped that this report may in some way contribute to the achievement of those objectives, and the overall goal of creating safer and better workplaces.

        Work on this report began in response to a request from the Government of Thailand for ILO advice on reviewing its occupational safety and health programme and structure. The ILO East Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team’s Senior Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health, Mr Seiji Machida, carried out a review between August 1998 and March 1999. Mr Machida’s review included a series of consultations and discussions with the officials from a number of government institutions, among them the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Industry and the Civil Service Commission. Discussions were also held with representatives from employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as with staff from academic and professional institutions active in the occupational health and safety field.

        The report proposes that the Government and the social partners take a number of actions to promote occupational safety and health in Thailand. A draft report was presented at the National Tripartite Workshop on Occupational Safety and Health in Thailand held in Pattaya from 27 to 28 May 1999, and participants’ comments have been taken into account in this final version of the report.

        We would like to express our appreciation to all who devoted their valuable time to the work of the review by taking part in the discussions with Mr Machida during his visits, and in the workshop. Our particular thanks go to the staff of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, especially Dr Chaiyuth Chavalitnitikul, Senior Expert on Occupational Safety and Health with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and Ms Kanokkarn Dhuvabhark of the National Institute for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (NICE) for their support in arranging the visits and collecting information.

Updated by PAP/SUT/TRS. Approved by BKL. Last update: 1 September 2000.

International Labour Organization (ILO): Contact us | Site map |

Copyright and Permissions 1996-2008 International Labour Organization (ILO) - Disclaimer