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Walailak University (WU), in collaboration with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Skill Development under the Ministry of Labour, jointly hosted the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Working Group on Human Resource Development (WGHRD) from 1–3 July 2025 at WU. The event welcomed over 30 participants from the three member countries, including academics, representatives from the private sector, and government officials.

The meeting aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange on human resource development and labour market demands in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as to identify workforce strengths and shortages while proposing collaborative initiatives, addressing emerging trends, and identifying key skills for future development.

Discussions focused on IMT-GT’s five strategic pillars, namely Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Tourism, Halal Products and Services, Transport and ICT Connectivity, and Trade and Investment Facilitation.

On 1 July 2025, Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, President of Walailak University, welcomed distinguished guests to the opening session held at the Hua Taphan Meeting Room, Walailak University Hospital. Notable attendees included Mr. Witthaya Khiaorot, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat; Lieutenant Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to TICA and Chair of the Working Group on Human Resource Development, Thailand; Mr. Amri Bukhairi Bakhtiar, Director of the Centre for IMT-GT Subregional Cooperation (CIMT); as well as members of the IMT-GT University Network (UNINET) and the Joint Business Council (JBC).

Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong emphasized the importance of investing in human capital to ensure regional progress and resilience. He highlighted the significance of multi-sectoral collaboration in shaping a future-ready workforce.

“At the heart of regional resilience and prosperity lies one transformative element - human capital,” he said. “Today’s gathering exemplifies the power of collaboration across key sectors to prepare a future-ready workforce - one that is skilled, agile, and globally competitive. Together, we are shaping the future workforce to support economic competitiveness and social well-being across our region.”

Lieutenant Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to TICA and Chair of the Working Group on Human Resource Development, underscored the urgency of regional cooperation to address current labour market challenges. He called for a stronger role for academic institutions in driving policy innovation.

“Today’s session reflects our collective commitment to strengthening human resource development as a cornerstone of IMT-GT subregional cooperation,” he said. “We meet at a critical time - when our region is undergoing rapid change and facing new challenges that demand stronger collaboration in knowledge creation, workforce upskilling and reskilling, and research-driven policy development.”

He added that Thailand is committed to inclusive participation from across sectors, especially from academic partners.

“As Chair, Thailand is committed to promoting the participatory role of IMT-GT UNINET as a dynamic partner to the Working Group. We strongly believe that academic input can transform good intentions into actionable policies and pilot projects that directly benefit our communities - especially our youth, workers, and entrepreneurs.”

Throughout the three-day event, participants engaged in strategic discussions, shared insights on labour market trends, explored collaborative training programs, and joined a site visit to observe community-based economic initiatives - highlighting practical models of sustainable human resource development within the IMT-GT subregion.

By 2036, IMT-GT envisions becoming a seamless, innovative, and inclusive economic subregion that promotes sustainable development and serves as a model for cross-border collaboration across Asia and beyond.















News by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communication