Occupational Health in Thailand: Future Perspectives

In Thailand, more than half of the population is working population. Most of them are in agricultural sector. Occupational injuries and diseases are one of the main burdens of diseases among Thai working population. The aims of the presentation are to describe current OHS situation and to forecast future direction and plans. Three government agencies, e.g., Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of Public Health, have a major role in OHS. The Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, under the Ministry of Public Health, is responsible for policy development, standards and guidelines for OHS services and management, and development of OHS surveillance system. Since OHS becomes one of the most important public health issues, the government has selected the OHS policy as a “National Agenda”. All relevant agencies have collaborated to develop and conduct the national plan. For example, the Ministry of Labour has set up a national plan to decrease the incident rate of occupational injuries by 10% each year until reaching zero accident. In addition, the Ministry of Public Health has current national policy focusing on implementation of basic occupational health service provision for workers in informal sectors, especially farmers. The Ministry of Public Health has also conducted other national plans, such as the elimination of silicosis project, the elimination of asbestos-related diseases, with the support by WHO, ILO, and other international agencies.   The OHS situation in Thailand is in transition, facing both old and new occupational health problems. Many traditional health hazards, such as silica, lead, or unsafe work practices still exist, and cannot be eliminated or controlled effectively. At the same time, new hazards, such as stress at work, are emerging. The improvement of law enforcement, research and technology transfer, and capacity building among OH professional are current needs for OHS development