The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the ratification of several internal laws, reforms, and amendments, especially in developing countries such as Thailand, resulting in limited human rights for the populations. There is a unique violation of human rights inclusive of the right to life, the right not to be tortured, the right to liberty and safety of persons which are very important to international and civil society. This research explores the enforcement measures of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED). Thailand is currently in the process of ratifying its membership in CED. This ratification process will contribute towards Thailand for holding an important position to fulfill its obligations as a State Party member of this Convention. Thailand has been drafting internal laws and regulations to be consistent with the CED to recognize and protect lawful human rights. People must not be forced to disappear because such action is a serious criminal offence that must be punished appropriately under the CED. In addition, the injured persons shall be treated fairly and equally in accordance with the objectives and purpose of CED, and the Member of Parliament (MP) shall legislate and support the enactment in accordance with the Convention's obligations. In accordance with international mechanisms, these measures will further enhance the promotion and protection of Thailand's human rights. Therefore, Thailand should complete the ratification process at the earliest to develop more efficient domestic legal measures and mechanisms. Similarly, ratification would be consistent with Article 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will contribute to security and enhance a peaceful society by providing access to justice to all people in Thailand. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2022-SPER-05 Full Text: PDF

Globalization has opened the avenues for the world to come together and attain sustainable growth. Migrant workers are a lifeline for several countries' labour forces and productivity. However, in Thailand, the rights of these migrants are restricted due to the non-ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Family Members (ICRMW). This research explores and analyzes various factors essentially responsible for the ratification of ICRMW in Thailand. The methodology adopted is the mixed method. The collected data were analyzed based on a socio-legal approach, with qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques combined: the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats (SWOT) technique was integrated into the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) (SWOT-AHP). The findings suggest that Thailand has not yet ratified the ICRMW conventions, including ILO C-87 and ILO C-98, thus depriving migrant workers of protection. They are not protected by national law and are not entitled to equal protection as nationals: for instance, foreign workers are forbidden from migrating to the established labour unions and enjoying medical benefits and salaries. All these must be consistent with the conventions, particularly the Labor Protection Act, B.E. 2541 (1998) and the Labor Relations Act B.E. 2518 (1998). The novelty of this research is the analysis of the domestic and international laws in the Thai context, which depicts the need for ratification of ICRMW to protect migrant workers and their families. The findings can pave the way for similar future research in other ASEAN member countries. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2022-SPER-014 Full Text: PDF

Purpose The study aims at enriching the existing cooperative education sector in Thailand. Adequate cooperative education has direct impacts upon graduates’ future professional development, employability and enhanced professional skills. The cooperative education framework in Thailand is relatively a recent concept and lacks detailed research. Design/methodology/approach The methodology adopted in this study is mixed-method, inclusive of qualitative methodology where data were collected through key informant interviews and; quantitative methodology involving survey questionnaires with a sample of 350 respondents. The data analysis included the quantitative analysis with Chi-square and excerpts from the key informant interview respondents. Additional strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis is performed to provide for gaps at various levels of cooperative education and the potential opportunities to the graduates in Thailand. Findings The findings depict a lack of legal framework for effective skill development, uncertain moral and physical security of the interns and absence of legal rights for interns, minimal support and assistance from the government sector, reduced future employability and insufficient financial resources among poorer students. Research limitations/implications Lack of student and cooperative database with the government departments. Practical implications The Thai Qualification Framework has been adopted in a majority of universities, however, the quality assurance does not cover the student’s perspectives, financial and social limitations towards attending the cooperative education. Social implications With enhanced vulnerabilities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, adverse impacts are analysed and recommendations are provided for enhancing cooperative education opportunities towards students. Originality/value This research aims to understand the perspectives of the students who graduated with cooperative education and are currently working professionals.