Thailand has wrapped up the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting (ALMM) and Related Meetings, with results presented at a press conference led by Minister of Labor Julapun Amornvivat on 27 August 2026.

The Minister emphasized Thailand's commitment to advancing ASEAN labor cooperation through concrete action, particularly by developing an ASEAN Skills Certification system that meets global standards, creating more opportunities and higher incomes for workers across the region.

Thailand is also ready to lead three key pillars of skills certification: modern training programs, international skills standards, and ASEAN Centres of Excellence. All are aimed at aligning workforce competencies with evolving labor market demands and raising them to internationally recognized standards.

Looking ahead, Thailand has proposed an AI Governance Framework to guide the responsible adoption of AI and mitigate its impact on the labor market, particularly by equipping new graduates and young workers with future-ready skills for emerging industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), data centers, and AI technologies.

At the regional level, the Meeting adopted two major outcomes:
● The Joint Communiqué of the 29th ALMM, guiding ASEAN labor cooperation
● The Joint Statement of the 14th ALMM+3, advancing cooperation between ASEAN and China, Japan, and South Korea

The Meeting also endorsed the pilot implementation of the ASEAN Digital Skills Passport (DSP), a digital system connecting workers' skills and training records to support more systematic and equitable labor mobility across the region.

As Thailand takes on the role of ALMM Chair for the next two years, it is ready to translate these outcomes into concrete action to strengthen the ASEAN workforce's capacity and help the region adapt, compete, and thrive in the global labor market.