Thai engineers and
architects will become freer to move to other ASEAN countries following the
launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.
AEC will pave the way
for the free flow of skilled labor in eight professions, namely doctors,
dentists, nurses, engineers, architects, accountants, surveyors, and tourism
professionals.
As ASEAN countries
have agreed on the implementation process of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement
(MRA) on engineering and architectural services, relevant organizations in
Thailand see the need for the two professions to prepare for the flow of
engineers and architects from other ASEAN nations to Thailand. At the same
time, Thailand may face shortages in these professions, as well.
The Director of the
Bureau of Trade in Services and Investment, Department of Trade Negotiations,
Ms. Banjongjitt Angsusingh, said that engineers now represent only 0.25 percent
of the ASEAN population. Among ASEAN countries, Vietnam has the highest number
of engineers, followed by Indonesia and Thailand.
In Thailand, she
said, Thai engineers need to improve their foreign language skills in
preparation for AEC. There are still not enough incentives for Thai engineers
to work overseas. In addition, they do not have much knowledge about related
laws and regulations in each ASEAN country.
The President of the
Consulting Engineers Association of Thailand, Mr. Pisit Puthipiroj, said that,
with the arrival of AEC, engineers in Singapore and Malaysia seem to have more
advantages than their counterparts in other ASEAN countries, as they receive
support from the public sector, in terms of financial and tax measures.
He said that
individual consulting engineers, if they have licenses, would find it easier to
work in other ASEAN countries than consulting companies that need international
certifications, such as ISO, and local partners in respective countries.
As for architects, it
is the ASEAN Architect Council that has set qualifications for architects to
register to work in all Member States. Architect councils in ASEAN countries
have jointly formed the ASEAN Architect Council. Statistics in 2012 show that
there are currently about 17,000 registered Thai architects.
An analysis conducted
by the Center for International Trade Studies, University of the Thai Chamber
of Commerce, indicates that only one out of 10 Thai engineers is aware of the
benefits of the free movement of ASEAN engineers. About 50 percent of Thai
architects, on the other hand, recognize the benefits of the free flow of
skilled labor and MRA, which aims to facilitate movement of professionals
between countries of ASEAN, especially in the context of market integration.
(thailand.prd.go.th)