On February 24, 2022, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin assigned the Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, to preside over the opening ceremony of the seminar on the benefits from the Skill Development Fund under the Skills Development Promotion Act B.E. 2565 and its amendments for the 2022 fiscal year. The seminar took place at the Muang Tara Conference Room, 3rd floor, Tara Mantra Hotel, Cha-am District, Phetchaburi Province. The Department of Skill Development’s Deputy Director-General, Ms. Pailin Jindamaneeporn, and heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Phetchaburi Province gave a welcoming. Mrs. Thiwalrat said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Ministry of Labour under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, and Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin, are concerned about the establishments, especially business establishments that are in the scope of the Skills Development Promotion Act B.E. 2545, which has been affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Department of Skill Development launched an important policy to assist establishments in 2021, reducing the number of employees required to develop skills from a minimum of 50 percent to 20 percent, whereby not being required to contribute to the Skill Development Fund. It has also extended the application period for course certification from 60 days to 90 days and reduced the rate of contributions to the Skill Development Fund from the original rate of 1 percent to 0.1 percent, for example.
Mrs. Thiwalrat further said that the Skills Development Promotion Act is a very important mechanism in skill development in line with the 20-year national strategic plan on human resource development and capacity building to increase the labour productivity of entrepreneurs. It is a response to the increase in the country’s competitiveness by allowing operators to participate in skill development for their employees to have the knowledge and empower them to support operations to be more efficient, with an exemption from income tax on expenses spent on training, including other benefits as well.
This seminar was organized so that business establishments know and understand the Skill Development Promotion Act B.E. 2545 and its amendments. It aims to create knowledge and understanding of the procedures and criteria for applying for certification of courses and training expenses of entrepreneurs through the e-Service system. Additionally, it intended to create knowledge and understanding of loan lending rules and granting assistance or subsidies from the Skills Development Fund and listen to opinions, obstacles, and recommendations for implementation under the Skill Development Promotion Act B.E. 2545 and its amendments.
Source: Ministry of Labour