Enhancing Employability in Challenging Times: The Case of Thailand

Abstract

Unemployment was driven not just by economic factors such as corporate restructuring and downsizing, but also by largely hidden and suboptimal levels of employability within the Thai workforce. This case chronicles the nature of the concept of workforce employability. The experiences of two of Thailand’s key trading partners in implementing employability enhancement programs are discussed, followed by a citation of the several factors, including employability, that influence a country’s overall employment picture. Finally, the case enumerates Thai governmental policies and programs that have already been put in place to combat rising unemployment, including that portion of unemployment resulting from insufficient employability