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Published on November 20, 2007

Director of the Southern Thai Board of Investment, Jaras Sriprasom, said the assessment of the overall economy in regards to the labour issues in the industrial sector this year had affected investment and business expansion.

Many workers in the area had moved to other regions especially the tourist provinces such as Phuket and Phang Nga to escape the unrest, Jaras said.

A large number of north-eastern workers had also moved back to their hometowns away from the violence in the region.

As a result, the three southernmost provinces had suffered labour shortages of 70,000 to 80,000 positions, he said.

Songkhla Industrial Council President Olarn Uyakul said the shortages had seriously affected the industrial sector, especially the fishing industry, so business operators had to adjust their work systems, using more technology to replace manpower. 

The Nation