Labor Situation in the Provincial Cluster of the Gulf of Thailand and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces: Case study an integrated approach to develop informal workers in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

          The research article aims to explore the labor force situation based on the economic activities of the provinces in the Southern Gulf of Thailand and Nakhon Si Thammarat province, as well as to propose an integrated collaboration model for the development of informal workforce skills in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

The research findings indicate that the Southern region, the Southern Gulf of Thailand provinces, and the Nakhon Si Thammarat province have the highest value and rate of change in Gross Provincial Product (GPP) within the trade and service sectors. At the same time, the largest number of workers are in the agricultural sector, but this sector has the lowest rate of change in worker numbers. In contrast, the trade and service sectors are experiencing an increasing trend in the rate of change in the number of workers. The Location Quotient (LQ) analysis of Nakhon Si Thammarat province reveals that the industrial and trade/service sectors have a strong production capability and serve as key economic activities at the provincial level compared to the Southern Gulf of Thailand region. In the Southern Gulf of Thailand region, the LQ in the agricultural sector indicates that it has a stronger labor capability in economic activities overall compared to the broader Southern region.

In the case of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, where most workers are in the agricultural sector, this sector shows the least change in worker numbers, the trade and service sectors rank second in terms of workforce size. Additionally, most workers are employed in the informal sector. Therefore, the direction of labor development must consider enhancing the potential of workers in both the agricultural and trade and service sector. The proposed integrated collaboration model for the development of skills among informal sector workers consists of the following components: (1) relevant data, (2) local teams, and (3) collaborative processes. The local teams will manage the overall relationships within the working group and develop operational strategies that connect from the local level, pass through the district level, and eventually integrate at the provincial level in the future.