Govt steps up job scheme

The government has stepped up its effort to tackle unemployment, which the prime minister says has doubled this year to a million people.

Thousands of jobless people crowd the Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, yesterday to register for the tonkla archeep (career sprout) programme. CHANANT KATANYU

The million without jobs, who make up about 2.5% of the labour force, is up from 510,000 at the end of 2008, based on National Economic and Social Development Board figures.

To tackle the problem, the government has introduced a 6.9-billion-baht tonkla archeep (career sprout) intensive vocational training programme.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajijiva announced the plan at the programme's unveiling yesterday at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani.

The programme provides the unemployed with free vocational training for up to a month. They will receive a living and transport allowance for the duration of the course.

Those who choose to return to their home province after their training will be given money to cover the transport cost plus assistance of about 4,800 baht a month for up to three months.

The programme is expected to cover 240,000 unemployed this year and 260,000 next year.

Mr Abhisit yesterday said since the world trade volume had dropped by as much as 30%, the country needed more domestic investment to offset its losses. He said the government proposed to invest 1.4 trillion baht on infrastructure over the next three years.

He said his administration was preparing to propose terms for borrowing about 70 billion baht next week as part of the infrastructure projects to help fight the country's economic slump.

More investment was needed to boost the economy and competitiveness to solve the country's medium- and long-term economic problems, he said.

The 70 billion baht would be spent on building basic infrastructure.

The projects would involve road building and upgrading, water resource development, agriculture irrigation, infrastructure for education and health care, and hi-speed train development.

Details of the projects are being deliberated and will be submitted to the economic ministerial committee for consideration on Wednesday.

Mr Abhisit said the government was encouraging the private sector to join it in various economic stimulus programmes so businesses would not have to lay off staff.

"These ... training programmes and planned investment are aimed at creating a million new jobs a year to offset the expected unemployment," he said.

In January, the government announced a 116.7-billion-baht stimulus package aimed at boosting the sagging economy, hit by last year's airport blockade and by the world financial crisis.

The plan consists of a mix of cash handouts for low-income earners, tax cuts, expanded free education and subsidies for transport and utilities.

The first government economic stimulus package - including a grant of 2,000 baht to workers earning less than 15,000 baht a month, a monthly pension payment of 500 baht to those over 60, and free 15-year education for children - will be gradually implemented starting this month, the prime minister said.

Mr Abhisit said the effect of the first round of economic stimulus packages would be felt in coming months.

Labour Minister Paitoon Kaewthong yesterday said unemployment service centres would be set up at every provincial employment office and industrial estate to assist the jobless.

Mr Paitoon said the centres could help people find jobs as officials would conduct surveys of factories and other businesses to collect job information on vacancies.

He said the centres would also provide training programmes to help the jobless prepare for work.