The Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry is set to organise training programmes for 40,000 unemployed people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic.
Supachai Pathumnakul, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, said the training programmes are estimated to cost 144 million baht and will be funded by the central budget in fiscal 2020.
The programmes will be supported by 80 universities, covering language skill development for tour guides, tourism management, business management for entrepreneurs and farm-related development.
Each programme will take 10 days and trainees will receive a daily allowance of 200 baht a day.
"The ministry expects the training programmes to be implemented by May or later, once the government lifts the state of emergency," Mr Supachai said.
The ministry also plans training programmes to upskill and reskill workers in advanced technology, notably for the 12 targeted industries, aiming to cover 50,000 workers.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the training programme will be a part of the third series of government's stimulus measures to ease the impact of the pandemic on the economy.
The third stimulus package is expected to be finalised and presented for cabinet approval this month. The third package is designed to provide comprehensive and continued assistance for all groups of people affected by the virus and keep the economy running without disruption.
The government has rolled out a series of stimulus packages to ease the impact of the pandemic.
Among them is a 50-billion-baht government fund that provides 5,000 baht per month for three months to 3 million temporary and self-employed workers affected by the pandemic.
On March 6, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Committee approved training programmes for employees in Rayong, Chon Buri and Chachoengsao affected by the contagion.
Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the EEC Office, said the training programmes will cover 10,000 employees in manufacturing, hotels and tourism who were left unemployed because of the virus.
The office also intends to provide a training programme to 10,000 employees in advanced industries.