BANGKOK – Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul opened the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting on Wednesday, urging member states to build credible, internationally recognized skills certification systems to boost employment, labor mobility, and regional competitiveness.

In his address, Anutin said ASEAN's nearly 700 million people and workforce of over 357 million represent vast human capital potential, but the bloc still faces gaps in education, technology access, and social protection.

He noted that artificial intelligence, the green transition, and aging societies are reshaping labor markets and driving demand for digital, green, and care-economy skills.

Qualifications and skills earned in one ASEAN member state should facilitate employment opportunities in other countries, both within and beyond the region, while supporting lifelong learning, labor mobility, and access to decent, better-paying work, he said.

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No single country can manage changes alone, Anutin emphasized, calling for stronger cooperation among ASEAN member states and partner countries so that qualifications and skills become comparable, trusted, and recognized across borders.

Such cooperation would help build an ASEAN community in which economic progress translates into better jobs, higher incomes, and greater security for its people, ensuring that no one is left behind, the prime minister added.

The meeting brings together ministers and permanent secretaries overseeing labor affairs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, and South Korea, along with more than 350 delegates, to discuss policy and promote labor and human resource development cooperation across the region.

The biennial gathering, running through Friday, aims to advance three key pillars, including certification of ASEAN skills training curricula, skills standards, and Centers of Excellence.