The Labour Ministry will work with the police force and the army to train security guards nationwide to help improve their skills.
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn held a talk on Thursday with Watcharapol Bussamongkol, former president of the Security Services Association of Thailand (SSAT), and staff from the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare.
The talk focused on pushing guards' welfare, rights and skills training.
Mr Phiphat said they agreed courses should be set up and guards' skills assessed to make sure they maintain standards.
Skill upgrades can also help guards attain higher wages compared to those who do not have self-protection or fighting skills.
The proposal aims to raise security guards' wages, lower the employee turnover rate and solve a shortage of security guards in the market.
The SSAT proposed the courses should also include a workshop on social welfare benefits, so employers better understand their obligations and guards their rights to wages, overtime or other benefits.
"Security guards should be paid above the minimum wage as they are multi-skilled and put in long hours of work. If we improve their skill sets, we can raise their wage rate and boost their career pride," said Mr Phiphat.
The Labour Ministry will work with the Royal Thai Police Headquarters and the army to provide instructors, he added.
Mr Watcharapol said the SAAT has 400,000 security guards across the country.
He thanked the ministry for its efforts to improve guards' quality of life.