Bangkok (ILO News) — Thailand is increasingly linking trade policy with decent work principles to enhance long-term competitiveness, especially amid global trade uncertainty and volatility. A national policy dialogue held on 25 November 2025, titled “Decent Work and Trade Readiness: Harnessing Thailand’s Potential for Global Competitiveness in the Era of Changing Trade Patterns,” brought together over 60 participants from government ministries, workers’ and employers’ organizations, the European Union, academia, and civil society.
The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen the connection between trade, labour standards, and sustainability. Key topics included integrating Just Transition principles into Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model and reviewing trends in labour provisions within free trade agreements. Stakeholders emphasized that ensuring competitive and equitable growth requires trade, employment, and social policies, including labour standards, to be mutually reinforcing.
Officials underscored Thailand’s commitment to social justice alongside economic progress. Representatives from the Ministry of Labour, ILO, and EU highlighted how decent work principles can enhance Thailand’s global reputation, attract quality investment, and support inclusive growth. The dialogue also explored reducing barriers to trade competitiveness, promoting green jobs, and understanding labour market trends linked to trade.
Participants reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthen coherence between trade and labour policies. The ILO, with EU support, will continue technical cooperation and knowledge exchanges with Thai authorities and social partners, building on the dialogue’s recommendations and facilitating collaboration with other Asia-Pacific countries.
Thailand’s trade performance remains strong, with exports reaching a record US$300.53 billion in 2024, up 5.4 percent from the previous year, while imports grew by 6.3 percent. The dialogue is part of the four-year “Managing a Decent Future of Work Together – Asia and the Pacific” project (2025–2029), funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments and implemented by the ILO, aimed at promoting higher labour standards in response to technological, demographic, climate, and trade megatrends.
