On 23 March 2016, Mr. Krerkpan Roekchamnong, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, in his capacity as the Charge d’ Affaires, accompanied M.L. Puntrik Smiti, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour (MOL), to deposit the instrument of ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 187 on the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health, 2006 to Mr. Guy Ryder, Director-General of ILO, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government.

The ratification reassures Thailand’s commitment to improve working and living conditions for workers in compliance with international labour standards. This is the 16th ILO Convention ratified by Thailand, which will enter into force on 23 March 2017, 12 months after the ratification.

The Convention No. 187 is one of the ILO's core instruments in safety and health at workplace. The member states that ratify this Convention are obliged to formulate a policy and issue supporting domestic laws and regulations to ensure occupational safety and health and to effective implementation. The promotion of occupational safety and health is part of the ILO’s agenda of decent work for all, in line with the ILO’s Constitution which aims at protecting workers and preventing illness, injury and death at workplace. The importance of decent work is also highlighted in Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. As of March 2016, 39 member states, including Thailand, have ratified this Convention.

Occupational safety and health issues have been high on Thailand’s National Agenda since 2007. In 2011, the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act was promulgated, and was followed by National Master Plan on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (2012 – 2016). MOL is currently drafting the 2nd National Master Plan (2017-2021) as a guideline to continuously promote safety and health in an appropriate environment for workers.