Thailand Accelerates Semiconductor Talent Development with Taiwan Training Program

Thailand is facing the challenge of a labor shortage in its semiconductor industry. As global chip demand continues to rise, the Thai government has recognized the urgent need to accelerate the cultivation of domestic talent to enhance its competitiveness. In recent years, Thailand has begun attracting foreign investment into semiconductor manufacturing and packaging and testing; however, a shortage of high-level technical personnel remains a major bottleneck hindering industrial upgrading. To address this, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) released a skills training program this month aimed at engineers and students in related disciplines, with the objective of narrowing the talent gap and accelerating the growth of the domestic semiconductor industry.

At a meeting held in Bangkok, NESDC Secretary-General Danuja stated that Thailand welcomes investment from Taiwan's semiconductor industry, emphasizing that Taiwan possesses globally leading technology and experience in wafer fabrication, equipment research and development, and process management. Danuja pointed out that through cooperation with Taiwanese enterprises and academic institutions, Thailand can introduce advanced process knowledge and feed this expertise back into its domestic industries. This move will not only elevate Thailand's technological standards but also help attract more foreign investment, thereby further expanding the industrial chain.

Specifically, the training program will select a number of engineers and engineering-related students to participate in on-the-job training and academic exchanges in Taiwan lasting from several months to a year. Trainees will undergo practical operations and theoretical coursework at Taiwan's wafer foundries, packaging and testing companies, and relevant research institutions, learning critical processes such as advanced photolithography, ion implantation, and chemical mechanical planarization. This practice-oriented training model will enable participants to immediately apply what they have learned to Thailand's domestic semiconductor manufacturing environment and serve as technical consultants or engineers upon returning home, further enhancing the technological autonomy of Thailand's industry.

The impact of this program on Thailand's semiconductor industry cannot be underestimated. First, by upgrading the quality of its talent, Thailand can accelerate the localization rate of wafer fabrication and packaging and testing, reducing its reliance on foreign technology. Second, upon completion of the training, participants will become vital bridges connecting Taiwanese and Thai industries, promoting bilateral technology transfer and cooperation. Furthermore, with the improvement in talent supply, Thailand's semiconductor industry will be able to attract greater foreign investment, create more job opportunities, and further drive the development of related upstream and downstream industries.

At the regional level, this initiative by Thailand also aligns with the vision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Semiconductor Industry Development Roadmap, which emphasizes supply chain diversification and technological upgrading. Through cooperation with Taiwan, Thailand can not only bolster its own technical strength but also establish an image as a high-quality manufacturing base within the region, thereby elevating its position in the global semiconductor supply chain. For Taiwan, becoming the leading nation in training Thailand's semiconductor talent will further consolidate its core role in the global semiconductor industry while expanding the influence of Taiwanese enterprises in the Southeast Asian market.

In summary, by engaging in technical cooperation and talent training with Taiwan, Thailand is actively breaking the bottleneck of labor shortages and injecting new vitality into its domestic semiconductor industry. This initiative not only helps enhance Thailand's competitiveness in the global supply chain but also provides new momentum for regional economic integration and technological innovation. If the scale of cooperation can be continuously expanded in the future, Thailand is poised to play a more significant role in the semiconductor field and bring more stable support to the chip supply chain in Southeast Asia and globally. (Source: Central News Agency)