Phang Nga ‘stealing Phuket tourism staff’

PHUKET: Employers in Phuket’s hotel and tourism industry are losing skilled staff to Phang Nga businesses – which are reportedly offering up to double the workers’ current salaries.

Phuket Provincial Labour Office (PPLO) Chief Decha Prekpattanarak said today, “The ‘stealing’ of labor is a major problem that is creating a shortage of skilled workers in Phuket this high season.”

He said that many hotel and tourism businesses in Phang Nga are opening or reopening as the area recovers from last year’s tsunami.

“Phuket’s higher cost of living is making working in Phang Nga more attractive to workers on the island, and businesses in Phang Nga are offering higher-paid positions to workers who are already skilled,” he said.

K. Decha cited the Laguna Resort in Cherng Talay as an example, where employers have lost 20 employees to Phang Nga businesses.

“Workers are moving to Phang Nga because [employers] are offering double the salaries and higher positions to workers. They can get skilled labor, and don’t need to train them… why wouldn’t they do it?” he said.

To help alleviate the problem, he added, the PPLO holds courses to train workers, and students nearing graduation, to work in the hotel and tourism industry. It also posts positions available in Phuket on its website at www.phuketwork.org