12 Thailand-based Swedish firms to allow 30-day paid paternity leave

Jon Astrom Grondahl, Sweden’s ambassador to Thailand, disclosed the initiative of the embassy and the Swedish firms in Thailand during his interview with Krungthep Turakij.

The 12 Swedish firms operating in Thailand included Ikea, Volvo, ABB, Electrolux, AstraZeneca, and Atlas Copco.

The ambassador said the 12 Swedish firms gave the commitment voluntarily to allow their male staff to take leave to help their wives take care of their children for at least a month.

The ambassador said the paternity leave would promote sexual equality in line with the policy in his home country.

The ambassador said his country was the first in the world to enact a law that allows both parents to take leave with pay for up to 480 days when they have a child or adopt a child. The 480 days could be taken over a time until the child turns 8 years.

The ambassador recounted that he was born in 1975, a year after the law was enacted so his father was among the first group of Swedish men who took paternity leave.

The envoy said when his daughter was born, he also got the right to take six months leave to take care of her.

Ekachai Chakornsakul, human resources manager of Electrolux Thailand, said his company had consulted the employees before agreeing to adopt the paternity leave policy.

“This is a very good initiative. It’s good to have fathers take care of their children,” Ekachai said.

He said Electrolux supports sexual equality, so it welcomed the initiative.

Assoc Prof Dr Somporn Kamolsiripichai, a senior adviser to Global Bugs Asia, said allowing male staff to take paternity leave is a good incentive.

He said Global Bugs is a startup that works for community development in Hua Hin and the paternity leave policy had made local people interested in working for his company.

Sanjay Safaya, country manager of Atlas Copco Thailand, said Atlast Copco has branches in many countries and male staff at all branches can take paternity leave.

The ambassador denied trying to sell the idea of paternity leave to the Thai government, but said he had done so indirectly by telling the Thai government about Sweden’s law.

He said he hoped that the initiative by the 12 Swedish companies would prompt the Thai government and private sector to have more discussions about paternity leave.

The ambassador said the embassy would not have to monitor whether the companies would honour their word because they had given the commitment voluntarily.

“But the embassy will use soft power by promoting good deeds of the companies on our Facebook wall,” the ambassador added.