Government Partners 17 Firms to Boost Elderly Employment
The user wants a short summary (1-2 sentences, 120-220 characters, max 240) for a local English news site covering Ko Lanta/Southern Thailand. The article is in Thai about the government partnering with 17 private firms to help elderly (60+
The government has partnered with 17 private firms to support "elderly" workers in achieving self-reliance, with fiscal year 2026 generating 124 million baht in income. Applications are available via "Thai Mee Ngan Tham" and "Kon Tham Ngan Itsara" to search for positions suited to skills and experience.
October 21, 2026 – Squadron Leader Phatdarasam Thongsaluek, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the government is driving two key projects: the Elderly Employment Promotion Project and the Job Creation and Career Building Project for Vulnerable Groups. These aim to increase access to work appropriate for age, knowledge, skills, and experience, allowing those aged 60 and over with potential to use their expertise to generate income and become self-reliant.
From operations in fiscal year 2026, concrete opportunities and income were created for the elderly in three main groups: full-time and part-time work saw 1,103 seniors receive job placement services, with 946 successfully placed, generating total income of approximately 116 million baht per year. Freelance work matching their aptitudes attracted 2,360 participants, with 1,840 actually starting careers, generating over 6.46 million baht. Senior potential development for knowledge transfer to younger generations produced 421 professional speakers, generating over 2.19 million baht.
Squadron Leader Phatdarasam stated the government wants to expand employment channels for the elderly, leading to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Department of Employment and 17 leading employers and enterprises to accept seniors into age-appropriate, low-risk positions such as office work, service roles, part-time jobs, and specialized skill positions. This promotion aims not only to increase employment numbers but also to ensure continuous income and maximize the potential of the elderly.
For job applications and career searches, seniors can use the "Thai Mee Ngan Tham" platform to find positions matching their skills and experience, and the "Kon Tham Ngan Itsara" platform for freelance work or self-employment according to their aptitudes, free of charge. For further advice, they can contact provincial employment offices in every province, Bangkok Metropolitan Employment Offices Areas 1-10, Smart Job Centers for Thais, or the Department of Employment hotline 1506 press 2.