Partnership for the future

Germany and Thailand can t urn t heir various common challenges into mutually beneficial opportunities by exchanging experiences, sharing best practices and collaborating on concrete projects. To combat climate change numerous measures and efforts are needed. Germany is on the way to transforming its energy sector fundamentally – the so-called “Energiewende” – towards a secure, environmentally-friendly and economically successful system by moving away from nuclear and fossil fuels towards renewables and better energy efficiency. At a share of currently 36 percent, renewables have become Germany’s No. 1 source of electricity, and Germany wants to increase this share to at least 80 percent by 2050. Germany shares its experiences with Thailand on energy transition and on other fields of climate-change-related issues by providing policy advice and conducting projects, for example on waste management and the use of solar energy on Thai islands, flood prevention measures, and production of energy-efficient refrigerators. Overall the German government has spent 45 million EUR since 2008 on such projects in Thailand, and is willing to continue. Challenges linked to digitalisation, Industry 4.0, and transportation are also fundamental elements of the Thai-German partnership. The Thai economy is still undergoing a complex transition, from traditional agriculture to smart farming, from manufacturing to Industry 4.0, and from labour-intensive and conventional services to mobile banking, e-commerce and e-health. Thailand and Germany are currently deepening their cooperation in the fields of Industry 4.0, and robotics as well as modern railway systems. Another shining example for the partnership between Thailand and Germany is the longstanding cooperation in the field of vocational education and training. The GermanThai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) programme, which started in 2013, has been very well received. The engagement of private sector companies in educating workers for their own purposes, and for the labour market in general, has a long-lasting tradition in Germany and is one of the foundations of Germany’s robust economy. A skilled and educated workforce is also at the heart of future development and growth in Thailand. In the area of digital economy and society, the impacts on the labour market will be tremendous. Will we go back to university or learn a new occupation at the age of 50? Are machines taking away our work? Or are they paving the way for innovations and productivity gains which create new jobs? “Work 4.0” means on the one hand making use of flexible modern working structures and easing the conditions of the manual workforce, and on the other hand it requires new skills and qualifications while working freelance, in the cyber-physical structure of a smart factory or in an IT-startup. In this regard, investment in people – human capital – in education and training as well as lifelong learning are the keys to the empowerment of people and thus the welfare of tomorrow. Thailand and Germany are strong partners for the future. While broadening and strengthening their bilateral cooperation, today’s challenges can generate manifold opportunities and benefit for Thais and Germans in the future.