Thread: Thai Unemployment Rate Dips Below 1% in February

Thailand’s unemployment rate dropped to a four-year low of below 1% in February, owing to government efforts to maintain job security and income generation for the public during the pandemic.


According to Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul, only 360,000 people were without a job in February. The National Statistical Office of Thailand reported that the figure covers 58.81 million Thai citizens aged 15 and above, but excludes housewives, people with disabilities and students, among others.


The deputy spokesperson attributed the low unemployment rate to policies implemented by the administration of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.


The policies aimed to help the general public stay employed and generate income through various measures. Maintaining employment rates, particularly during the pandemic, is widely considered a positive development as it indicates that the nation’s economy has remained relatively stable despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Thai Unemployment Rate Dips Below 1% in February

Below 1%? Shirley they are joking. Possibly excluding all males in Issan? Excluding anyone not actively looking for work? Grab drivers and other gig economy workers exempt (because they already have a job)?

What is the welfare system like there? If the government isn't handing out money, I doubt there are too many unemployed.

Thailands economy is essentially based upon the serfdom of its supine and compliant employment pool that subsists on peasant wages whether it be in agriculture ( 30% of the occupational workforce ) in manufacturing ( 23% of the workforce ) or in services ( 45% of the workforce ).

The greater majority of these workers are unlikely to earn much more than 10,000 to 14,000 per month, and those in agriculture much less.

There is no viable welfare net protecting those incapable of work.

This low wage economy provides for rich profits and also permits one of the most apparent features of the employment sector, gross overmanning.

Full employment is the sop to the peasants but it will not last. Automation, Ai, the need for an upskilled trained reliable labour supply and the end of subsistence farming will all contribute to an economy which has no use for at least 15 million workers

But, in the meantime the Thai-Chinese will continue to exploit their primacy.

Originally Posted by TTraveler

What is the welfare system like there? If the government isn't handing out money, I doubt there are too many unemployed.

Are you saying that people only work if they can't get money from the government?

Originally Posted by misskit

Thailand’s unemployment rate dropped to a four-year low of below 1% in February, owing to government efforts to maintain job security and income generation for the public during the pandemic.

I had to recheck the calendar when I read that, thought it was 1st April again!

^ its nearer election time, bring out your good news

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

statistics can easily be manipulated by the criteria one uses to collect data.

Yep. 1% means absolutely nothing unless you clearly define the data set used to determine the statement.

No, just saying that it often causes unemployment to be higher if there is a welfare system that has some lenient requirements. Many lose welfare if they work and are content with the minimums to be sustained.

There is a welfare system here though it is not enough to live on.

In Thailand, there is scare regulation on vendors. Anyone can throw up a stand and sell whatever food they prepare or goods they have procured without licensing. They can operate out of their homes. I think this keeps unemployment low.

I believe the government handouts to "poor" people require information from those people about what and what their income is and how it is derived. Then if they fall below a predetermined threshold they receive assistance from the Government.
Of course that assistance must be spent at locations that siphon the profit to the right places.

Anyway when people provide the information they are probably asked if they earn any money and from what. Once they answer yes they are not unemployed just low income earners hence unemployment below 1%.

I would be interested in how many of those low earners are "farmers" who are just scratching out an existence and living on debt.
A long time ago I asked my missus what would happen if we ran out of money, her answer, we would have to learn to like a cow and eat grass. I thought she was joking but after living here for many years seeing them eat leaves, snails, frogs etc. I think she was serious.