Thailand has one of the lowest unemployment rates globally

[chiang mai]

Thanks for that graph, interesting but perhaps not that useful after all, interesting link also.

It looks like the two methods of measurement are diverging, the claimant count numbers will be mostly reliable but the survey numbers could be increasing for any number of reasons, as you've pointed out, interesting though that at the outset the numbers were very closely aligned.

[Thai at Heart]

The flaw in this survey method is that you have to declare that you are looking for work, or you don't count in the stats.

Also, being employed at 300 baht a day is hardly glorious. Using Thai unemployment figures as a thing of success is a rather dubious stat.

50% of the total of 37mn available for work are in agriculture. That is so inefficient and of low value they need a subsidy to survive in many cases.

So while its nice to quotr a number, of the 16 mn in agriculture how many are living in still poverty? How many can be employed doing anything else?

Comparing economies with one stat, from the developed and developing world is a very narrow comparison. Thailand in 30 years will have 5mn farmers and there will be 10 mn more factory and office jobs.

Now that's progress.

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[thailiketoo]

Thanks for that graph, interesting but perhaps not that useful after all, interesting link also.

It looks like the two methods of measurement are diverging, the claimant count numbers will be mostly reliable but the survey numbers could be increasing for any number of reasons, as you've pointed out, interesting though that at the outset the numbers were very closely aligned.

As far as I know the UK is the only country that uses both methods because it is so expensive to track data using the claimant method. However maybe there are others reading this who know which method their country uses. All I looked for was the USA, Thailand and Australia and they all dumped the claimant method years ago.

Edited June 26, 2014 by thailiketoo

[MrWorldwide]

Can't be compared with a first world country I'm afraid. Op, you need to take into consideration it takes like three foot-shufflers to do a one-man job here. Also, are monks considered as unemployed in those dubious figures! Not much tax revenue there.

Monks ? How about the thousands of people operating completely under the radar in cash economies from CM to Phuket ? I admire their entrepreneurial spirit, but it cant do a whole lot for the tax base in this country.

The tax base is probably made up by dumb farangs paying over the odds for their farang imported goods with 300% tax rates.

I was in a major mall the other day, The Mall Bang Kapi, on the second floor is a car showroom selling Citreon cars, 1.6 million baht, about double the price of a similair Mazda/Ford/Honda, insert whatever car you want.

Who the heck in their right mind would buy one, why the heck would Citreon even try and sell cars here with that sort of mark up.

I was stuck at a red light the other day, infront of me was a Farmhouse delivery truck, written on the back door, drivers wanted, monthly salary from 18-25k per month, I was walking by a lampost the other day, adverts for cleaners in Bkk, 500 baht per day.

An accquaintance has had an advert out looking for a/c technicians, 500 baht per day, no takers.

Another friend building houses cant get proper tradesmen to work for less than 750 baht per day, for some trades the going daily rate is 1,000 baht per day.

I wonder how many on this board would get out of bed for 500 baht a day knowing that the minimum wage is 300 baht per day ? Anyone qualified to do more than stand around a shopping mall or work in a 7-11 is always going to want more than minimum wage.

[MrWorldwide]

there is no way they can have a clue about how many people are out of work, no dole, no unemployment off ice, I would bet the number of bin scavengers is more than they claim are unemployed.

Why do you need an unemployment office if you have an effective register of Births, Deaths and Marriages ? Where it gets tougher in Thailand is the massive cash economy - if I'm 25, come from a poor family and have never paid tax, surely someone in authority is going to send me a 'Please explain' letter ? Maybe I spent too long under the thumb of the Australian Taxation Office (a group you just dont mess with) but that would seem like a logical check to run in the information age.

e.g.

SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE DOB < '1994-01-01' AND DOB > '1964-01-01' AND TAX_PAID < 1000 ORDER BY LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, PROVINCE GROUP BY PROVINCE;

(for the IT gurus out there, its just an example - lets not get too hung up on the database design that would result in a table like 'PEOPLE' - assume whatever join conditions will let you sleep tonite)

The obvious question is 'how many people from Isaan update their address when they move south ?' My guess would be roughly 20, and that might be overly optimistic, but if I had an accurate database (!), even this laptop could run that query against 60 million entries in less time than it takes you to respond to this email to tell me it would never work in Thailand, Even if the multitude of bureaucrats in Thailand did have the data, they would still have to track each of the 'anomalies' down, interview them and decide if they should pursue them for back taxes - my guess is they threw their arms in the air a very long time ago.

In a country where there are still people struggling to make ends meet, I'm not going to get too bent out of shape re the actual number of unemployed people or whether the cash economy is paying for roadworks in Bangkok - someone else's problem.

[rjcampbe]

The Thais seem to prefer full employment vs efficiency. That's why you see department stores with 10 "sales persons" standing around with their thumbs up their butts, no customers

And not a one of them with a damn clue about the products they are selling nor able to help you find something else in the store that isn't in their designated one square meter in the store.

totally <deleted> useless.

[chiang mai]

The Thais seem to prefer full employment vs efficiency. That's why you see department stores with 10 "sales persons" standing around with their thumbs up their butts, no customers

And not a one of them with a damn clue about the products they are selling nor able to help you find something else in the store that isn't in their designated one square meter in the store.

totally <deleted> useless.

There, there, if someone is making you stay here you should tell them "no, I don't want to be here, it's my right"!

[thailiketoo]

there is no way they can have a clue about how many people are out of work, no dole, no unemployment off ice, I would bet the number of bin scavengers is more than they claim are unemployed.

Why do you need an unemployment office if you have an effective register of Births, Deaths and Marriages ? Where it gets tougher in Thailand is the massive cash economy - if I'm 25, come from a poor family and have never paid tax, surely someone in authority is going to send me a 'Please explain' letter ? Maybe I spent too long under the thumb of the Australian Taxation Office (a group you just dont mess with) but that would seem like a logical check to run in the information age.

e.g.

SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE DOB < '1994-01-01' AND DOB > '1964-01-01' AND TAX_PAID < 1000 ORDER BY LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME, PROVINCE GROUP BY PROVINCE;

(for the IT gurus out there, its just an example - lets not get too hung up on the database design that would result in a table like 'PEOPLE' - assume whatever join conditions will let you sleep tonite)

The obvious question is 'how many people from Isaan update their address when they move south ?' My guess would be roughly 20, and that might be overly optimistic, but if I had an accurate database (!), even this laptop could run that query against 60 million entries in less time than it takes you to respond to this email to tell me it would never work in Thailand, Even if the multitude of bureaucrats in Thailand did have the data, they would still have to track each of the 'anomalies' down, interview them and decide if they should pursue them for back taxes - my guess is they threw their arms in the air a very long time ago.

In a country where there are still people struggling to make ends meet, I'm not going to get too bent out of shape re the actual number of unemployed people or whether the cash economy is paying for roadworks in Bangkok - someone else's problem.

http://web.nso.go.th/

I think it is the seventh time. Unemployment data in Thailand is gathered by survey. It makes no difference to accuracy where people move or how poor they are or if they ever paid tax. Unemployment data in the USA, Australia and Thailand is gathered by sample survey. The UK uses a sample survey and claimant data.

[MrWorldwide]

The Thais seem to prefer full employment vs efficiency. That's why you see department stores with 10 "sales persons" standing around with their thumbs up their butts, no customers

And not a one of them with a damn clue about the products they are selling nor able to help you find something else in the store that isn't in their designated one square meter in the store.

totally <deelted> useless.

Agree, but I often wonder how much 'training' many of them have been given and what the selection process consisted of - my guess is that it's friends, family and cronies. It's particularly sad when they only need to know one product line - the Sony and Apple stores are classic examples - but cant even manage that. I also suspect there is a culture that says you should never appear to know more than your boss, and defer to them whenever possible - whatever it is, it doesnt breed competence.

[thailiketoo]

The Thais seem to prefer full employment vs efficiency. That's why you see department stores with 10 "sales persons" standing around with their thumbs up their butts, no customers

And not a one of them with a damn clue about the products they are selling nor able to help you find something else in the store that isn't in their designated one square meter in the store.

totally F'ing useless.

Because they are hired by the brand in their square meter and not the store. Farang who don't know about Thailand F'ing useless.

[slipperx]

How do they know what the unemployment rate is?

[thailiketoo]

How do they know what the unemployment rate is?

8th time I posted the link. http://web.nso.go.th/ The unemployment rate is figured in Thailand the same way it is figured in the USA and Australia and by the same method.

[thailiketoo]

The flaw in this survey method is that you have to declare that you are looking for work, or you don't count in the stats.

Also, being employed at 300 baht a day is hardly glorious. Using Thai unemployment figures as a thing of success is a rather dubious stat.

50% of the total of 37mn available for work are in agriculture. That is so inefficient and of low value they need a subsidy to survive in many cases.

So while its nice to quotr a number, of the 16 mn in agriculture how many are living in still poverty? How many can be employed doing anything else?

Comparing economies with one stat, from the developed and developing world is a very narrow comparison. Thailand in 30 years will have 5mn farmers and there will be 10 mn more factory and office jobs.

Now that's progress.

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

You wrote, " Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and Thailand." 1. Link to what Thai survey methods you are quoting please. 2. Link to what UK survey method you are quoting please. 3. Link to where Thailand switched workers to the farm category please.

[Thai at Heart]

The flaw in this survey method is that you have to declare that you are looking for work, or you don't count in the stats.

Also, being employed at 300 baht a day is hardly glorious. Using Thai unemployment figures as a thing of success is a rather dubious stat.

50% of the total of 37mn available for work are in agriculture. That is so inefficient and of low value they need a subsidy to survive in many cases.

So while its nice to quotr a number, of the 16 mn in agriculture how many are living in still poverty? How many can be employed doing anything else?

Comparing economies with one stat, from the developed and developing world is a very narrow comparison. Thailand in 30 years will have 5mn farmers and there will be 10 mn more factory and office jobs.

Now that's progress.

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

You wrote, " Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and Thailand." 1. Link to what Thai survey methods you are quoting please. 2. Link to what UK survey method you are quoting please. 3. Link to where Thailand switched workers to the farm category please.

Will dig it out. It was an economics article about the limitation attached to the survey of unemployment. The stats about Thailand's agricultural economy are freely available for all to see.

The questions asked are not a global standard to measure is someone is available for work or not. This was a massive issue in the UK in 2006. Booming economy and only 800k unemployed. Wow. Great performance.

But, claimants for disability had boomed for 5 years. The unemployment figure was an illusion.

One interesting point is that thailand has a very low birth rate, without having reached economic maturity. A little like China's problem, the population will start to reduce before thailand transitions to a developed economy.

I don't mind furnishing you with the links when I have time, but you have spent an awful lot of time defending the obvious problems in Thailand economy. These are pretty obvious to all to see, whether one has a masters on econometrics or not.

The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[thailiketoo]

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

You wrote, " Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and Thailand." 1. Link to what Thai survey methods you are quoting please. 2. Link to what UK survey method you are quoting please. 3. Link to where Thailand switched workers to the farm category please.

Will dig it out. It was an economics article about the limitation attached to the survey of unemployment. The stats about Thailand's agricultural economy are freely available for all to see.

The questions asked are not a global standard to measure is someone is available for work or not. This was a massive issue in the UK in 2006. Booming economy and only 800k unemployed. Wow. Great performance.

But, claimants for disability had boomed for 5 years. The unemployment figure was an illusion.

One interesting point is that thailand has a very low birth rate, without having reached economic maturity. A little like China's problem, the population will start to reduce before thailand transitions to a developed economy.

I don't mind furnishing you with the links when I have time, but you have spent an awful lot of time defending the obvious problems in Thailand economy. These are pretty obvious to all to see, whether one has a masters on econometrics or not.

The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development.

You make it sound so complicated this thread is about one number. Thai unemployment. It is calculated by the Office of Statistics in Thailand by survey and it is accurate. It's good enough for the World Bank, IMF and me. You I guess are an authority?

The reason I ask for the links is because you write stuff like, "The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development." That is just gibberish.

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^^^,

you paint a very rosy picture of Thai medical facilities, was this gov't hospital or private?

reason for asking, I have been in mant gov't hospitals in Thailand and they are nothing like the picture you paint, can only assume you are talking private hospitals.

The Arabs from the Middle East are heading to places such as Bumrungrad, Samitvej, etc, they come because its easier than trying to secure visas for the land of the free.

Thailand may well have been a medical hub a few years ago due to exchange rates, nowadays India is the place to be.

Last I heard India had that flesh eating bug in the hospitals; I'll stay away thank you very much. There are private hospitals and then hospitals contracted by Thai Social Security that are half and half and then there are government hospitals. I have been to all three but I was writing about private hospitals. My wife has insurance at both the private and semi private hospitals so we use both for her depending on the need.

Having been in both types of hospitals, yes what you say is correct, you however failed to mention that in your post.

One of my favourite observations at private hospitals is watching the Thai oreder food from outside the hospital, rather than order from in house.

The last time I attended a private hospital I queried the bill, and had every item explained, bill of 100 baht for some "pretty" to walk me to the cashiers office about 20 ft away, no thank you I will walk myself, or in Thai, mai rap krap, dern bai jai eng.

Little Miss Pretty, stumped, kor check dai mai, dai krap, item soon dissaperared from the bill.

The difference between insurance companies picking up the (over inflated) bill and paying it by your self.

Anyway whats the statistical probability of your average Somchai ever encountering this as oppossed to your average farang on an MNC expat package?

One of the best Drs I ever saw in Thailand was in Pra Ram 9 hospital in Bkk, "we are not gods" were his words to me.

[Thai at Heart]

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

You wrote, " Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and Thailand." 1. Link to what Thai survey methods you are quoting please. 2. Link to what UK survey method you are quoting please. 3. Link to where Thailand switched workers to the farm category please.

Will dig it out. It was an economics article about the limitation attached to the survey of unemployment. The stats about Thailand's agricultural economy are freely available for all to see.

The questions asked are not a global standard to measure is someone is available for work or not. This was a massive issue in the UK in 2006. Booming economy and only 800k unemployed. Wow. Great performance.

But, claimants for disability had boomed for 5 years. The unemployment figure was an illusion.

One interesting point is that thailand has a very low birth rate, without having reached economic maturity. A little like China's problem, the population will start to reduce before thailand transitions to a developed economy.

I don't mind furnishing you with the links when I have time, but you have spent an awful lot of time defending the obvious problems in Thailand economy. These are pretty obvious to all to see, whether one has a masters on econometrics or not.

The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development.

You make it sound so complicated this thread is about one number. Thai unemployment. It is calculated by the Office of Statistics in Thailand by survey and it is accurate. It's good enough for the World Bank, IMF and me. You I guess are an authority?

The reason I ask for the links is because you write stuff like, "The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development." That is just gibberish.

As I wrote, yes the figure is the figure for thailand, just as the figure is the figure for the USA or UK.

The clever thing to do is to work out if the measure is done in a completely comparable way and if the market for labour in them all is comparable.

As I wrote, there are several important factors why they aren't comparable, nor their implications for policy in those countries comparable.

Yes on paper Thailand has under 1% unemployment. It also has 16mn farmers classified as in employment.

The UK has 2.2mn unemployed, way up from 2008, etc etc etc. Hardly apples with apples or ceteris paribus is it.

I wonder if there is any unemployment in North Korea. Must be a great place to live.

Its not gibberish. In this paper I saw, the description of employment was whether someone had worked an hour in a week. I will dig it out.

Just because it might not suit your idea, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Every where in the world has its peculiarities with its statistics, if you think Thailand is doing great by having this unwmployment rate with many millions of farmers in subsistence living, so be it.

I really don't care what you think and you really do care what I think. The rest of the world has issues, at least they admit and debate them seriously.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[thailiketoo]

Link. What survey method? What country?

Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and thailand.

They evaluate who places themselves into the market by the survey. If you aren't seeking work, you aren't part of the workforce. So, the rate of unemployment is of course derived from the denominator I.e the total of those in, plus those searching and unable but wanting to find work.

As long as Thailand has that wonderful safety net called the farm, those people are by this measure, working. All the stats point to 35+mn workers and about the 50% being in agriculture.

Well do the maths. 17.5mn farmers. Are all 17.5 profitable? How many are profitable? How many are in abject poverty. So, if a million farmers out of 17mn are barely making ends meet or are losing money or survive on subsidy are they measured correctly as employed.

For the survey yes, but if they joined the ranks of the unemployed? Well there you have 1mn in 35+ mn

2%. Have 2mn? 4%

Absolute figures for comparison are always worth investigating. The original op compared Thailand and the UK.

UK has maybe 500k people in full time employment in agriculture. So it is hard to compare these stats realistically for unemployment.

What thailand wants to achieve is switching population out of unproductive agriculture and into industry. 16mn farmers.

There is a long way to go. Another limitation is of course in the questions in the survey.

How many hours or work, according to the survey constitutes being in work? Did you do, 1, 8, 16, 24 hours of work last week.

These surveys are not standard in any way.

You wrote, " Was reading about the survey methods used in the USA and Thailand." 1. Link to what Thai survey methods you are quoting please. 2. Link to what UK survey method you are quoting please. 3. Link to where Thailand switched workers to the farm category please.

Will dig it out. It was an economics article about the limitation attached to the survey of unemployment. The stats about Thailand's agricultural economy are freely available for all to see.

The questions asked are not a global standard to measure is someone is available for work or not. This was a massive issue in the UK in 2006. Booming economy and only 800k unemployed. Wow. Great performance.

But, claimants for disability had boomed for 5 years. The unemployment figure was an illusion.

One interesting point is that thailand has a very low birth rate, without having reached economic maturity. A little like China's problem, the population will start to reduce before thailand transitions to a developed economy.

I don't mind furnishing you with the links when I have time, but you have spent an awful lot of time defending the obvious problems in Thailand economy. These are pretty obvious to all to see, whether one has a masters on econometrics or not.

The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development.

You make it sound so complicated this thread is about one number. Thai unemployment. It is calculated by the Office of Statistics in Thailand by survey and it is accurate. It's good enough for the World Bank, IMF and me. You I guess are an authority?

The reason I ask for the links is because you write stuff like, "The Thai survey is the Thai survey. I found a paper where a Japanese economist compares Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They ask if you worked one hour in the last week. Pffffft. Zero hours contracts are not development." That is just gibberish.

As I wrote, yes the figure is the figure for thailand, just as the figure is the figure for the USA or UK.

The clever thing to do is to work out if the measure is done in a completely comparable way and if the market for labour in them all is comparable.

As I wrote, there are several important factors why they aren't comparable, nor their implications for policy in those countries comparable.

Yes on paper Thailand has under 1% unemployment. It also has 16mn farmers classified as in employment.

The UK has 2.2mn unemployed, way up from 2008, etc etc etc. Hardly apples with apples or ceteris paribus is it.

I wonder if there is any unemployment in North Korea. Must be a great place to live.

Its not gibberish. In this paper I saw, the description of employment was whether someone had worked an hour in a week. I will dig it out.

Just because it might not suit your idea, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Every where in the world has its peculiarities with its statistics, if you think Thailand is doing great by having this unwmployment rate with many millions of farmers in subsistence living, so be it.

I really don't care what you think and you really do care what I think. The rest of the world has issues, at least they admit and debate them seriously.

You write a whole bunch of stuff that is not true and don't provide links and don't know how to post a quote that is my definition of gibberish. Statements like 16 million farmers in Thailand are unemployed is not true. Just more gibberish. Learn how to post correctly or don't expect me to respond again.

[MrWorldwide]

You make it sound so complicated this thread is about one number. Thai unemployment. It is calculated by the Office of Statistics in Thailand by survey and it is accurate. It's good enough for the World Bank, IMF and me. You I guess are an authority?

Hopefully it will be good enough for the Chinese, although I doubt that they could give a toss re Thailand's unemployment rate - they have substantially larger fish to fry.

http://rt.com/business/168620-china-world-bank-own/

Gotta love Beijing.

[Thai at Heart]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=QUysU8SzHeWY0AXkzIGgDA&url=http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/workshop/120803/120803-05.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGhc_5CNNmKnHxAoc0tEH0Q946g0A&sig2=wc3xM-7-7xAV36Fk5xLVwA

[Thai at Heart]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality_in_Thailand

As of 2011, almost a third of women in the labor force were unpaid family workers

So. Hmmmm. Unpaid family labour is included in the labour force. Not where I come from.........

[Issangeorge]

Just from observing the people in my village, and from friends looking for help, give unemployment rate is zero. If the person is willing to move, they can always find a job.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[MrWorldwide]

Just from observing the people in my village, and from friends looking for help, give unemployment rate is zero. If the person is willing to move, they can always find a job.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Are we talking jobs elsewhere in the region or moving to BKK/Patts/Phuket ? I keep reading about an 'economic miracle' transforming Isaan, but still they come to Pattaya by the busload.

[thailiketoo]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality_in_Thailand

As of 2011, almost a third of women in the labor force were unpaid family workers

So. Hmmmm. Unpaid family labour is included in the labour force. Not where I come from.........

I don't know where you are from but why is that relevant? If a farmer works his farm is he not employed?

[thailiketoo]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=QUysU8SzHeWY0AXkzIGgDA&url=http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/workshop/120803/120803-05.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGhc_5CNNmKnHxAoc0tEH0Q946g0A&sig2=wc3xM-7-7xAV36Fk5xLVwA

So?

[belg]

farmers watching the rice grow & collection subsidies

is that not a form of unemployment ?

as long as their daughters are in the red districts earning money for them, then there is no problem, hence, low unemployment

[thailiketoo]

farmers watching the rice grow & collection subsidies

is that not a form of unemployment ?

as long as their daughters are in the red districts earning money for them, then there is no problem, hence, low unemployment

I sent money from my business in America to help out my dear old mum. Was that a form of unemployment for her?

If you knew anything about red light districts in Thailand today you would realize the money goes to yaba dealers today and not home.

Get out a bit and find out about the real Thailand.

[Thai at Heart]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality_in_Thailand

As of 2011, almost a third of women in the labor force were unpaid family workers

So. Hmmmm. Unpaid family labour is included in the labour force. Not where I come from.........

I don't know where you are from but why is that relevant? If a farmer works his farm is he not employed?

Unpaid family work?,,I.e. housewife?

Could you imagine what would happen to world stats if the UK or USA included housewife's in that manner?

The stats would move massively. This categorisation changes the stats for Thailand massively. The agriculture business becomes an enormous pool of labour both paid and unpaid.

Thus because the amount of people involved in the west versus a Thai context is different it makes comparison of the total unemployed very difficult.

Apples and pears

[Thai at Heart]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=QUysU8SzHeWY0AXkzIGgDA&url=http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/workshop/120803/120803-05.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGhc_5CNNmKnHxAoc0tEH0Q946g0A&sig2=wc3xM-7-7xAV36Fk5xLVwA

So?

Well just read and interpret.

The reason there is apparently no unemployment is that a. The agriculture side of Thailand isn't decreasing. B. There are fewer and fewer young Thais. Population and labour supply is tightening.

Hence why my niece is so over the moon to use her law degree to.work for Siam Cement for 14k per year.

Obviously economic development has been so.amazing,that the supply of quality jobs has boomed for the last 10 years. It isn't that companies can't find people because schools haven't created them, its that there are fewer and fewer of them total.

Quite scary really. So what MUST Thailand do. Start educating the rural farming population.

[thailiketoo]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=QUysU8SzHeWY0AXkzIGgDA&url=http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/workshop/120803/120803-05.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGhc_5CNNmKnHxAoc0tEH0Q946g0A&sig2=wc3xM-7-7xAV36Fk5xLVwA

So?

Well just read and interpret.

The reason there is apparently no unemployment is that a. The agriculture side of Thailand isn't decreasing. B. There are fewer and fewer young Thais. Population and labour supply is tightening.

Hence why my niece is so over the moon to use her law degree to.work for Siam Cement for 14k per year.

Obviously economic development has been so.amazing,that the supply of quality jobs has boomed for the last 10 years. It isn't that companies can't find people because schools haven't created them, its that there are fewer and fewer of them total.

Quite scary really. So what MUST Thailand do. Start educating the rural farming population.

the Education Council estimated that the number of new students enrolled in bachelors programs between 2007 and 2016 will be approximately 500,000 each year, resulting in between 300,000 to 400,000 new graduates per annum. The only problem is that Thailand’s labour market does not need this number of graduates with bachelors degrees.

During the subsequent 5 years (between 2012 and 2016), 145,348 bachelor graduates would be needed each year.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/print.php?id=2435