workers in a foreign-owned garment factory   in Vientiane

Laos’ development of skilled labor is still slow and sub-standard, not meeting requirements by overseas employers. During the past two years, only approximately 6,000 Lao workers have been officially certified and sent to work legally in Thailand, well below the 52,000 required under a bilateral agreement. And out of the 6,000, over 1,000 have been sent back to Laos because of sub-standard skills.

As a result, the Lao government has suspended its implementation of the Lao-Thai agreement on employment and labor quality cooperation indefinitely, while it tries to improve its development of skilled labor. That will be a most difficult task, says a Lao labor official, because the government lacks adequate ways and means to do it.

Listen to our Laos Today report for further details in Lao.