As one of active drivers of Thailand’s green transition, NXPO was recently invited to speak at the policy forum on “Towards an Inclusive Green Transition in Thailand” jointly organized by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) and the OECD Development Centre with financial support from the European Commission. Held on 22 September 2023, the forum was attended by Thai government officials, foreign diplomats in Thailand, representatives from the OECD Development Centre, the European Union, and relevant international organizations. 

The forum was structured into three sessions, each addressing critical aspects of inclusive green transition in Thailand: 1) energy transition and accompanying skill and social policies, 2) environmental impacts and social safeguards, and 3) roles of international collaboration and partnerships.  

NXPO was represented by Dr. Pranpreya Sriwannawit Lundberg, Director of International Policy Partnership who joined a panel of speakers in the energy transition and accompanying skill and social policies session. Dr. Pranpreya discussed the change in employment landscape brough about by the green transition. While jobs in the fossil fuel sector is expected to decline, there is a promising outlook for employment opportunities in renewable energy. The rapid technological advancement necessitates workforce to acquire skills that will help them navigate challenges and meet demands of current and future industries. It is also imperative for the private sector to adapt to new policies and regulations aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.  

Dr. Pranpreya emphasized the vital role of the government in bridging the gap between the demand and supply of skilled labor. She presented several policies and initiatives introduced by the government to foster skill development and connect labor demands and supplies. STEMPLus has been created as a comprehensive platform for workforce upskilling and reskilling, career planning and job demand-supply matching, whereas a circular design course from CIRCO, the Netherlands, was launched in Thailand to empower Thai businesses to implement circular design principles in their operations. 

The information and outcomes from this forum will be incorporated into a report on “Policy Dialogue on Transforming Asian Economies: Towards Shared Gains”, a project led by the OECD Development Centre.