The Thai workforce needs to speed up development of its digital skills, as digital technology is likely to replace human workers faster than previously forecast due to the pandemic, warns the chief of the state planning unit.
Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, said the spread of the pandemic had accelerated the speed of technological disruption, increasing internet usage based on changing consumer lifestyles.
"The internet plays a more significant role during the crisis. It changes not only the way Thais work, study and trade, but also daily life," he said.
Various businesses worldwide are using robots and artificial intelligence (AI) to replace workers in an effort to curb the risk of infection, according to Mr Danucha.
He said businesses need to speed up the organisation of training programmes on skills development for their workforce.
"Workers must upgrade their skills because they are highly likely to be displaced and replaced by machinery, AI and robots. The technological disruption has occurred faster than expected," said Mr Danucha.
He cited the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2020, which reported over the next five years 43% of businesses plan to reduce their workforce.
A total of 41% of these businesses would hire specialists for specific jobs rather than use their existing employees, while 34% would require more highly skilled workers.
Demand is rising for tech jobs such as data analysts and scientists, AI and machine learning specialists, big data specialists, as well as marketing and strategy specialists.
Businesses will focus on using technology, requiring employees to have mainly digital and technological skills, according to the forum.
Mr Danucha said Thai workers need to improve their digital skills to work in the future, citing the WEF Digital Skill Report 2020, which showed only 54.9% of workers in Thailand were literate in the required digital skills.
Thailand ranked 89th out of 140 countries.
The WEF's report corresponds with the International Institute for Management Development's World Digital Skill ranking, which evaluates three major areas: knowledge, technology, and readiness for the future.
In 2020, Thailand had a net score of 64.3 out of 100 and was ranked 39th out of 63 countries.
The biggest weakness for Thailand was its readiness for the future, with a score of 49.9, ranking it 45th in this category. Factors contributing to this score are training and education (55th), as well as attitude towards adapting to work in the future (53rd).
Mr Danucha said guidelines for developing digital skills should include a proactive labour market policy in which actions must be linked to the skills required to meet market demand, as well as promotion of the development of digital labour skills and ICT education enhancement.
There must be comprehensive development of ICT infrastructure, including skilled teachers and the establishment of a standard for ICT learning, making it a lifelong habit.