KHON KAEN – The Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University (KKU) hosted a “Springer Nature Book Workshop” from 1 to 2 July 2026, gathering researchers from 11 Southeast Asian nations to discuss the impact of digitalisation on the region’s labour markets.

Titled “Employment, Labour and Wages in Southeast Asia: Catching the Wave of Digitalization”, the hybrid event allowed academics from Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste to present their research. The workshop gave participants the opportunity to exchange knowledge and receive feedback from editors and experts, refining their manuscripts for international publication.

Associate Professor Dr. Teerawat Charoenrat, a KKU faculty member, served as the workshop coordinator and Thailand’s representative. During the event, he presented a co-authored book chapter titled “Human Capital, Skills Mismatch, and AI Disruption: Escaping Thailand’s Middle-Income Trap”.

Dr. Teerawat noted that the workshop offered regional researchers a valuable opportunity to share insights into how digital transformation is uniquely reshaping their labour markets. He emphasised that feedback from Springer Nature editors and experts would significantly enhance the academic rigour of the papers, ensuring a comprehensive and high-quality overview of the Southeast Asian region.

Springer Nature, a leading global academic publisher, will compile and publish the finalised research papers from the 11 participating countries as book chapters. The collaborative initiative underscores KKU’s role as a central hub for international academic and research cooperation in Southeast Asia.