Thai unemployment at its worst point in 14 years

[webfact]

 

Daily News reported the latest unemployment figures in Thailand.

 

They were at their worst level in 14 years - 2.3% of the workforce was out of work in the third quarter, according to Yanyong Thaicharoen of the EIC, an economic thinktank.

 

This is putting considerable strain on household finances. 

 

However there is better news on the horizon with predictions that Thai GDP will rise 3.2% next year as local and international hurdles are overcome, reported Daily News yesterday. 

 

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[Bohemianfish]

That seems pretty low. How do they measure it? It it just people actively looking for work? Certainly, not people not looking, or just gave up.

[Pravda]

2 minutes ago, Bohemianfish said:

That seems pretty low. How do they measure it? It it just people actively looking for work? Certainly, not people not looking, or just gave up.

 

It's pretty astronomical as Thailand unemployment has always been zero 

[Gsxrnz]

I think they're only counting people incarcerated in a covid detention camp hospital.

 

Actually, only those who have contributed to the social security scheme are eligible to claim the Thai unemployment benefit. And when they do they will only get 50% of their average pay.  So filling in the paperwork and having to report monthly for less than the price of a SB coffee is hardly worth it.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Gsxrnz

[peter zwart]

Excluding the unofficial "tourist" employees.

[asiasurfer]

Does this figure include bar workers, soapy massages? Guess not... 

[Saanim]

27 minutes ago, Bohemianfish said:

That seems pretty low. How do they measure it? It it just people actively looking for work? Certainly, not people not looking, or just gave up.

It comes to some as a surprise that there is a Labour department in Thailand where people can claim their unemployment once they have been registered at Pakan Sarkom (social insurance) with their regular salary deduction monthly organized and contributed by their employer.

[mikebell]

Thailand employers are screaming out for foreign workers so there are vacancies.  In my experience the average Thai worker is to be found lying horizontal next to a paddy field, willing the rice to grow. They would not last a day in Europe without collapsing from exhaustion.

Of the 97.7% in employment, how many actually work?  Is the speed reader at Macro working when he checks 167 items on your bill in under one second, working?  Are the groups of Thaiwatsadu assistants hiding in the basement classed as employed? RTP draw a wage without working weekends/nights; starting after 10am & finishing before 5pm - they are invisible otherwise.

[khunPer]

Thailand is still short of work force and need more migrant workers from neighboring countries, according to several news articles, so might be that there are plenty of jobs available, but people are not interested in those jobs...????

[Andrew65]

I've never believed what are quoted as the unemployment numbers in Thailand, usually 1%. In Western countries it's said that realistically the number is unlikely to be under 5%. Thailand doesn't have a welfare system where such numbers would come from.

[tingtong]

Yet there is a rush to import at least 400.000 migrant workers from neighbor countries.

 

Kinda controversial, if unemployment is already at record high.

 

[jumbo]

36 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Thailand is still short of work force and need more migrant workers from neighboring countries, according to several news articles, so might be that there are plenty of jobs available, but people are not interested in those jobs...????

I would think that the employers, both Thai and foreign, are not that interested in Thai ( more expensive) workers over migrant workers

[TheFishman1]

The government did such a great job with the virus and who can believe any of their numbers anyways TIT

[flyfrog]

????????good one, if you want some staff for service or kitchen you cannot find them or they come work 2-3 days and leave again, lazy people

[vandeventer]

It is sad with so many Thai's out of work with no unemployment help from the government. The people that have jobs are also working much harder and longer hours without extra pay. Lets hope things get better.

[wombat]

golly gosh gee wiz...maybe ...just maybe thats all the people out of work in the tourism/entertainment industry?
i could be wrong and i am always prepared to stand accountable when wrong, i don't think i am on this occasion 

[ronster]

2.3 ? More like 12.3 I would bet !

[Bim Smith]

These figures are clearly hogwash. How would they even measure it without any welfare state to claim for unemployment. You take over 20 percent of your GDP out of the equation you bet you can take this figure and times it by 10. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Bohemianfish said:

That seems pretty low. How do they measure it? It it just people actively looking for work? Certainly, not people not looking, or just gave up.

Considering the number of people you see daily doing nothing I find their figure somewhat unbelievable.

I'm sure the figure they use is linked to some kind of registration which is out of many peoples reach to get on.

[Andrew65]

46 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

????????good one, if you want some staff for service or kitchen you cannot find them or they come work 2-3 days and leave again, lazy people

Might be to do with it being a sh***y job on equally crappy money, with a total bell**d for a boss!?????

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, tingtong said:

Yet there is a rush to import at least 400.000 migrant workers from neighbor countries.

 

Kinda controversial, if unemployment is already at record high.

 

Because migrant workers are slave labour, happy to reside in a camp structure or within a factory.

Work long hours for minimal wages and no benefits.

 

[Markus Rider]

haha thats such a joke !! 2.3 % is sensationally low for every country in the whole world !! Maybe 23 % would be a better figure.......

[Saanim]

2 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Thailand doesn't have a welfare system where such numbers would come from.

Mind my comment above...

[Saanim]

1 hour ago, tingtong said:

Yet there is a rush to import at least 400.000 migrant workers from neighbor countries.

 

Kinda controversial, if unemployment is already at record high.

 

How exceptional it is for some? It never happens in their home country where they cannot secure even the food and fuel supply when the migrant workers had left?  

[Almer]

Well there are more than 2.3% in the village in Issan I live, 23% more like,

[Sydebolle]

 2.3% of the workforce out of work according to Yanyong Thaicharoen? 

Really, 2.3% is absolutely nothing and actually means a total standstill in the employment market. Now, taking all those who lost the jobs, i.e. millions in the lawless "entertainment" industry, all those not recorded anywhere with the social security set-up nor never paid any income tax due to unwillingness of employer or lousy pay ........ there must be millions without a job being caught up by the family net somewhere upcountry. 

Fact is, that you cannot find unskilled, lest forget semi-skilled, hospitality staff working in restaurants. If you cannot find a junior waitress for 15,000 Baht/month then you might have to agree to the 2.3%.

Bottomline is, that the semi-divine Khon Thai is just too lazy to work for money and rather opts for Somtam, Khao Niew and, provided a sponsor is around, some Laokao, Blend285 or Saengsom! 

[RichardColeman]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

However there is better news on the horizon with predictions that Thai GDP will rise 3.2% next year as local and international hurdles are overcome, reported Daily News yesterday. 

Something very dire in that prediction. If Thailand only gets say 400,000 tourists this year, and thailand's 32 million tourists really do make up 20% of gdp, then the predicted golden 14 million tourists for next year would be a 8-9% rise on its own. To me 3.5% growth would indicate a total disaster pending next year , with slow sluggish thai growth in every sector and a maximum of 2-3 million tourists  only.

Edited December 10, 2021 by RichardColeman

[StayinThailand2much]

Unemployment at a rate of 2.3% is considered 'full employment' in most countries. - Happy Thailand!

[Skeptic7]

Had it been 23%, would've sounded more believable. Not buying this 2.3% BS. The numbers here have always been manipulated to the extreme on the low side. 

[itsari]

5 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

I think they're only counting people incarcerated in a covid detention camp hospital.

 

Actually, only those who have contributed to the social security scheme are eligible to claim the Thai unemployment benefit. And when they do they will only get 50% of their average pay.  So filling in the paperwork and having to report monthly for less than the price of a SB coffee is hardly worth it.

How can 50 percent of there average pay be worth nothing ??

Nothing to you perhaps . But most Thais don't waste there money on overpriced coffee .