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Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Thailand (RATIFICATION: 2007)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that the Policy Statement of the Council of Ministers delivered in September 2014 places emphasis on the empowerment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan for 2012–16 states that job opportunities must be provided for persons with disabilities. It also notes that 9,454 out of 12,479 enterprises (75.76 per cent) complied with the obligations concerning employment of persons with disabilities contained in the Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act, as amended in 2013. Moreover, the Government provides information on the outcome of various activities carried out within the framework of the 4th National Plan on the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for 2012–16. It also indicates that the Northeastern Regional Industrial Rehabilitation Centre was inaugurated in 2013 and the Southern Regional Industrial Rehabilitation Centre will be established in the near future. The Committee notes that the total number of persons using rehabilitation services at the industrial rehabilitation centres increased from 975 in 2011 to 1,019 in 2013 and the total number of vocational rehabilitation users was 347 in 2011 and 320 in 2013. Furthermore, in 2013, the total number of persons with disabilities registered for training courses for employment was 350, out of which 198 persons obtained employment following the course. The Committee welcomes the detailed information received and requests the Government to continue to provide information on the results of the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act of 2013 and other measures targeting the employment promotion of persons with disabilities in the open labour market. Please also continue to provide practical information on the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the list of representatives of organizations of and for persons with disabilities that participate in the committees, subcommittees and working parties for empowerment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour issued Order No. 340/2557 of 9 December 2014 to appoint the Working Party for the Employment Promotion of Persons with Disabilities to Social Service Work in the communities. In this regard, representatives of organizations of and for persons with disabilities will cooperate with employers in order to promote employment of persons with disabilities. While noting that the Government has consulted with representatives of organizations representing persons with disability, the Committee recalls having requested the Government to include in its report information on the manner in which representative employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted, as is required by Article 5 of the Convention. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to consult with the representative employers’ and workers’ organizations on the implementation of the policy on vocational rehabilitation and, if it has, to include such information in its next report. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which representative employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted on the matters covered by the Convention, including the measures taken to promote cooperation and coordination between the public and private bodies engaged in vocational rehabilitation services.

Article 7. Services accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that, during the 2009–13 period, a project on expanding labour market information to the district and village level was conducted by the Department of Employment in 4,595 locations. This was aimed at increasing the accessibility of labour market information to the public, including persons with disabilities. It also indicates that the number of jobseekers with disabilities increased from 3,998 in 2012 to 4,080 in 2014 and the number of job placements has also increased from 1,518 to 1,807 in the same period. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that services are provided to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Article 8. Vocational rehabilitation and employment services in rural areas and remote communities. The Government indicates that the Department of Skills Development offers training courses for persons with disabilities at 12 regional institutes for skill development and 65 provincial centres for skill development. It also indicates that the Department of Employment provided vocational rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural and remote areas in the 2012–14 period. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to increase the accessibility of vocational rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas and remote communities.

Article 9. Training of staff responsible for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Office of Instructor and Training Technology Development in the Department of Skill Development prepared a skill development handbook for persons with disabilities and published it for the regional institutes and provincial centres for skill development. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to improve the capacity of staff responsible for vocational guidance, training, placement and employment of persons with disabilities.