Opening Remarks by Miss Suchada Thaibunthao Deputy Director-General Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA) Ministry of Foreign

Affairs At the Fourth meeting of Working Group Human Resource Development under Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia Thursday, 22 September 2011

Your Excellency, Mr. Abdul WahabBangkona, head of delegation of Indonesia, Your Excellency, Mr. Syahrunizam Bin Shawan, head of delegation of Malaysia, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in hosting the meeting of Working Group Human Resource Development under Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and in extending the very warm welcome and hospitality to Thai delegation in this colorful city of Jakarta. As we all recognize, the overall goal of IMT-GT, initiated by the leaders of three countries since 1933, is to accelerate private sector-led economic growth by increasing trade, investment and economic activities by using the basic

complementariness of economic advantage within the region and through the creation of employment opportunities to enhance the socio economic welfare of the people. The sub regional economic cooperation under IMT-GT, therefore, principally is aimed at encouraging the private sector to play a leading role while the respective public sectors play a facilitating role.
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Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency, or TICA, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dedicated its tangible support for HRD to our member countries through the bilateral and under the Framework of IMT-GT cooperation. The Prince of Songkhla University, in collaboration with member universities, has played a vital role in developing IMT-GT UNINET.

Distinguish Delegates, As we are well aware, the success of IMT-GT may not possible through the effort of only one single country alone but through the collective effort of our three countries. The IMT-GT Roadmap (2007 2011) were set as the guidline of IMT-GT cooperation framework of all members in our sub-regional endeavour. Moreover, the next framework namely Implementation Blueprint 2012 2016 which will be set soonest, Thailand stands ready as ever to share experience and knowledge gained over the years and to work hand in hand with our members on the basis of partnership to build up capacity and human development issues not only the Skills development but also Labor Market Information, Skill Standard and Certification, Sharing of Expertise and Training Resources and the Linkage of Institutions. The Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) is still major challenge on standardization, certification and competency for certain professions for the mobility of skilled labour. Moreover, semi skilled and unskilled worker must be concerned as well. There is no deny that the development of human resources and skills is a key instrument to promote people and labour mobilization in both national and international markets for goods and services. This is also reaffirmed in a list of cooperation areas under the bilateral cooperation and regional framework particularly in ASEAN community. Human resource development are very much contingent on the cross-cutting issue which would link up IMT-GT member countries and ASEAN for mutual benefit and win-win situation to all stakeholders and parties for the ASEAN Community in 2015. In order to enhance our human resources competitiveness and to promote the connectivity of ASEAN people and culture, we have to refocus the
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development of human capital of IMT-GT sub-regional to strengthen their skill at all level. I firmly believe that with our spirit of partnership between public and private sector under IMT-GT and the clearly Implementation Blueprint of 2012 2016 on human resource development. I do hope that this meeting would be fruitful and come up with the benefit of the IMT-GT countries and for the ASEAN integration finally.

Thank you.

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