Thailand Faces Alarming Graduate Unemployment, 65% Struggle to Find Jobs

[snoop1130]

 

Thailand's unemployment rate is painting a worrying picture for university graduates, with 65% unable to secure jobs. Long-term unemployment climbed by 16.2%, while a significant 71.3% of the unemployed have never held a job before, according to Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). The data, covering the third quarter of 2024, shows an employment landscape that, while stable, is fraught with challenges.

 

Despite having approximately 40 million people employed, this marks a slight drop of 0.1% from the previous year. The overall unemployment rate rose slightly to 1.02% from 0.99% in the previous quarter. Currently, the number of unemployed individuals averages 414,000, which is lower than the previous quarter's 429,000 but higher than the 401,000 from the same quarter last year.

 

When looking at educational levels, those with university degrees are hit the hardest, followed by high school and middle school graduates. Long-term unemployment, defined as being out of work for over a year, now affects 81,000 people, with 65% citing their main challenge as finding work. Alarmingly, nearly three-quarters of this group are young adults aged 20 to 29.

 

In the formal sector, the unemployment rate dropped to 1.82% from 1.93% last year. There are 74,000 individuals receiving unemployment benefits, with over 95% from the manufacturing sector.

 

 

Danucha emphasized that while the job market is stable, the struggles of graduates point to a need for targeted actions. Resolving unemployment issues requires a combined effort, involving educational reform, skill development, and industry partnerships.

 

The high unemployment among university graduates is particularly concerning, highlighting a mismatch between educational outcomes and job market demands. The rise in long-term unemployment underscores ongoing obstacles for young job seekers, who find it difficult to secure appropriate roles in a shifting economy.

 

This report comes amid broader economic challenges and prompts questions about the current job creation strategies' effectiveness and whether reforms in education or vocational training are needed to better align with industry demands.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-11-26

 

 

[bkk6060]

A friends daughter just graduated and got a job for a whooping 10k a month.  Would probably be better working at 7-11.

 

[saakura]

12 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

A friends daughter just graduated and got a job for a whooping 10k a month.  Would probably be better working at 7-11.

 

Graduated from which University, what faculty and grades will make a huge difference. We just recruited a gold medallist graduate engineer (specializing in engines) from a prominent Bangkok based university at a starting salary of 38,000 Baht plus small perks.

[proton]

Bloke next door is a graduate, got a masters in something or other- flash delivery rider!

[Rampant Rabbit]

Over the years (20+) ive tried to find people to do almost  anything here   Id  say 90% are useless, probably the same with the uni graduates. Do everything myself mfor the last 15 odd  years, saves time , money and headaches.

[NativeBob]

College grads are dumb as a brick. Just high schoolers? I guess same. 

Everybody wants starting salary from 35K up & benefits. 

Their ambitions are tremendous. 

I know that first hand. 

[Chris Daley]

Most graduates are rich.  They have had dad pay for everything since birth and they will never work a day in their lives.

 

The gap between the rich and the poor is disgusting.  I saw one of them standing next to his super car then he started kicking a dog for no reason.  Scum of earth.

[Gknrd]

Welcome to little China!

[Gknrd]

2 hours ago, saakura said:

Graduated from which University, what faculty and grades will make a huge difference. We just recruited a gold medallist graduate engineer (specializing in engines) from a prominent Bangkok based university at a starting salary of 38,000 Baht plus small perks.

Selling noodles would make about as much.

[arick]

Why work when they can sit on their ass at home Play game all day long. 

[loong]

7 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Selling noodles would make about as much.

I seriously doubt that many noodle sellers would earn 38,000+ Baht per month.

[Snackbar]

‘20 + years here; can’t do anything, useless.’

 

Have you learnt to speak Thai?

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's unemployment rate is painting a worrying picture for university graduates, with 65% unable to secure jobs. Long-term unemployment climbed by 16.2%, while a significant 71.3% of the unemployed have never held a job before, according to Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC)

And yet Thailands government boasts a very low unemployment rate?

I wonder how that works?

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

A friends daughter just graduated and got a job for a whooping 10k a month.  Would probably be better working at 7-11.

 

Had a Thai female friend who went through university at great expense to her mother, scrimped and scraped through the years, borrowing from many including her delivery rider brother.

After graduating university with her degree she now works in a nail bar in Hua Hin...

Could have done that 5 years ago earning a wage and saved all the university money.

[ozz1]

Yes unfortunately a lot of these degrees aren't worth anything I know so many of these graduates who want to be teachers but there is no placings for them there dreaming I know first hand after spending money on university and getting no where  thank goodness for 7-Eleven I know a lot of them are out cutting rice for 300 a day with chemistry teaching etc degrees

[Muhendis]

When a student starts talking about going on to university, I ask them what subject aare they going to study for their degree. The answer I get is very vague. They have no idea about the sort of work they want to do.

Another thing is that when students talk of going to university they really mean college which is more vocational.

[jcmj]

I see so many companies looking for employees that must have a bachelor’s degree and offer a very low salary. Why are these kids fooled into going to University to study who knows what and only the elite may benefit from it? They need hands on experience so either take the lower paying job for a couple of years, get some good experience and then search for a better job. Otherwise skip the University and work your way up. I’d prefer to hire with more experience than just a degree. 

[Thingamabob]

With AI, and robotics generally, taking over employment opportunities are decreasing all over the world. 

[black tabby12345]

During the previous Pheu Thai administration(before military takeover in 2014),

they raised the commencing salary of the new college graduate to 15000B/month.

Pay rise without higher productivity often comes with negative result.

Curbing new hires for the freshman.

 

Headline issue didn't really start yesterday, but a decade ago.

 

Edited 5 minutes ago by black tabby12345

[Aussie999]

Well, what do they expect, educate people knowing there's no positions for them, and, in many cases, their credentials are not acknowledged overseas, and we know why.

Edited 5 minutes ago by Aussie999

[GreasyFingers]

I watch the royal TV session on most nights and am amazed at the number graduating from universities (the degree handing out takes up most of the time).

My step daughter is at university in Bangkok and is studying, in her own words, Humanities. I asked what job she would do after getting her degree and she could not answer as she did not know.

[JimHuaHin]

The same in many countries; too many graduates in areas where there are low employment possibilities; too many poor quality universities producing virtually unemployable graduates; and massive shortages in STEM and health care industries.  For example, the average age of nurses in Australian public hospitals is about 50 years old.  Universities are not responding quick enough to labour market demands and societies' needs.