Thailand is actively joining the International Labor Organization (ILO) in striving to achieve decent work for all. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has stressed the need to work together with ILO in order to successfully emerge out of the current economic, financial, and job crises and to ensure justice for Thailand's workforce.

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of ILO, the Ministry of Labor of Thailand organized an event to celebrate this occasion on April 23 at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Bangkok. The event also included a tripartite meeting to discuss the Thailand Decent Work Country Program

Speaking through a video link to the ceremony, Prime Minister Abhisit said that, over the past 10 years, Thailand had ratified three of the ILO's eight core conventions, namely those relating to child labor and discrimination. It is also among the first in Southeast Asia to ratify two core conventions on the elimination of forced and compulsory labor. Recently, it had promulgated a law to prevent human trafficking and punish abusers. This law, no doubt, would complement the ILO's effort in championing the anti-trafficking work across the Greater Mekong Subregion. Moreover, in 2006, Thailand joined other Asian countries in the Asian Decent Work Decade, which is paving the way for full, productive, and decent employment for all by 2015.

In the world today, he said, many countries are facing a serious economic downturn, in which many workers are affected by lay-offs. Such economic and job crises are hitting hard, particularly in the Asian countries, whose incomes depend on the labor of their workers. In this situation, the role of ILO today is even more important.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Sachiko Yamamoto, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Assistant Director-General of ILO, cited Thailand as a strong supporter of ILO, in fact one of the only 40-odd founding members from the creation of this organization back in 1919. Bangkok has been home to the ILO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific since 1966. In May 2008, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia was granted an audience with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Given that ILO is the United Nations agency that deals with work and workplace issues - and its unique three-part structure composed of governments, workers, and employers - she said that it was no surprise that ILO was being called upon to help respond to this current crisis.

Ms. Yamamoto said that here, in Thailand, and right across this vast region, the economic and job crises were of great concern. But they also offered various countries an opportunity to rebuild jobs and lives in a more sustainable way. Employment should not only meet people's basic needs today, but it should also offer some hope of social and economic progress to individuals and societies. That is what is meant by decent work.

Aware of the importance of working for social justice, Minister of Labor Phaithoon Kaewthong said that Thailand had implemented various policies and measures that would lead to decent work, the improvement of labor standards, and a higher quality of life for workers' families, as well as better management of immigrant labor. Thailand has also formulated its Country Program, which was put up for discussion in this meeting.