NESDB: Thailand facing unemployment problem
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Nov 24 -- Thailand's National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said today in the third quarter of 2014, Thailand faces the problem of increased unemployment, as entrepreneurs slow their business expansions and reduced employment, and agricultural sector also heads into a season of drought.

NESDB Deputy Secretary General Chutinart Wongsuban said the agency found that in the third quarter, there are 326,616 unemployed workers in the country, about 0.84 per cent, an increase of about 0.77 per cent compared to the same period of last year.

The main cause of unemployment is the slow down of the national economy, which in turn reduces entrepreneurs' desire to expand businesses and employ more workers.

Unemployment in this quarter has continued to decline.

As for unemployment in the agricultural sector, Ms Chutinart it has declined about 17.5 per cent or 2.9 million people, as many areas across the country were either hit with drought or severe flooding.

However, employment outside the sector has risen about 9.6 per cent or 2.1 million people in production, logistics, retailing, hotel restaurants, and realty sectors.

The senior NESDB official said there are a few issues that needed to be monitored more closely in the next quarter, including the drought season which would directly affect the agricultural sector in both income and employment, and the problem of insufficient workers, as the economy next year tend to grow but entrepreneurs' demands for workers in their fields would not be met.

She stressed that vocational students should have more courses to improve their skills, while the government should better systemise the employment of migrant workers and use more technology to assist with the expansion. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-11-24

All the chickens are coming home! Hard times ahead for Thailand?

Guess there is no chance now that they'll relax those stupid 4:1 Thai staff rules then ...

Just wait til ASEAN kicks in. There will be more Thai unemployment because they will be out-worked. I know two business owners in the service sector who will be closing their businesses the week of Jan 1, going to the Phillipines to hire an entire staff of English-speaking, motivated service employees, and can only see blue skies ahead. Ask any foreign business owner what their primary challenge is and they will tell you, "Having to deal with Thai employees."

In a local Home store yesterday, I observed groups of "employees" of as many as 8-12 per cluster, just milling around, doing nothing, and trying not to work. Of course, Thai businesses could always hire more rotations of people to hand out free tickets to the business parking lots, then collect them as you leave. Or more people to blow whistles in parking lots whilst not knowing the first thing about how to drive or park a car.

It's called competition, and those Thai unemployment numbers will only go higher.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Bar girls aren't hitting quota anymore and now their families are forced to find jobs but nobody wants to work lol.

It is,of course, the higher paying jobs, the ones that allow Thais to buy the latest Iphone and a new car. Thais don't want the low paying jobs, those are for foreign workers.

The figure of 9.6% is possibly a guesstimate , how many haven't bothered to register for unemployment and how much do they get SFA, so the unemployment rate could be as high as any number you like to make, 9.6% however is to high and any higher , guess what , you start to have anti social unrest.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that

cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Still searching for that dislike button.

Just wait til ASEAN kicks in. There will be more Thai unemployment because they will be out-worked. I know two business owners in the service sector who will be closing their businesses the week of Jan 1, going to the Phillipines to hire an entire staff of English-speaking, motivated service employees, and can only see blue skies ahead. Ask any foreign business owner what their primary challenge is and they will tell you, "Having to deal with Thai employees."

In a local Home store yesterday, I observed groups of "employees" of as many as 8-12 per cluster, just milling around, doing nothing, and trying not to work. Of course, Thai businesses could always hire more rotations of people to hand out free tickets to the business parking lots, then collect them as you leave. Or more people to blow whistles in parking lots whilst not knowing the first thing about how to drive or park a car.

It's called competition, and those Thai unemployment numbers will only go higher.

I've got close friends with factories in China and the Philippines. Both would love to be here rather than there. PI is much worse for doing business than here. Unfortunately, that's not saying much!

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Pretty much every country in the world was running like a Swiss watch pre 2007-8. Everything collapsed after that.

I remember an article about a monkey doing stock quotes back in 1999. He was making money throwing darts for picks. Can't do that today.

The Kingdom was heading for a civil war. I'm no fan of coups, but it did stop all the silliness going on earlier this year.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Don't you mean farang ATM ? The husband thingy is just for show !

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that

cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Still searching for that dislike button.

That makes at least two of us.

All the chickens are coming home! Hard times ahead for Thailand?

Do not get excited, every hotel, restaurant, shop, laundry, 7-11, family mart has signs looking for staff.

It is the ones on high salary's with no benefit to the company who are getting the flicks and naturally they will not accept lower salary, because its beyond them, so in good old fashion, just sit at home and wait for high salary job.

Christ, just the other day had a maid demanding 12000 per month plus a free room, clearly she will stay unemployed

0.8% unemployment...utter bullshit!

An unemployment rate of 0,84% ?

I feel like I know them all personally.

Just wait til ASEAN kicks in. There will be more Thai unemployment because they will be out-worked. I know two business owners in the service sector who will be closing their businesses the week of Jan 1, going to the Phillipines to hire an entire staff of English-speaking, motivated service employees, and can only see blue skies ahead. Ask any foreign business owner what their primary challenge is and they will tell you, "Having to deal with Thai employees."

In a local Home store yesterday, I observed groups of "employees" of as many as 8-12 per cluster, just milling around, doing nothing, and trying not to work. Of course, Thai businesses could always hire more rotations of people to hand out free tickets to the business parking lots, then collect them as you leave. Or more people to blow whistles in parking lots whilst not knowing the first thing about how to drive or park a car.

It's called competition, and those Thai unemployment numbers will only go higher.

" I observed groups of "employees" of as many as 8-12 per cluster, just milling around, doing nothing, and trying not to work "

Well I feel pretty sure that particularly in a shop like Home store it won't be long before those days are well and truly over

I would rather interact with one of these machines any day than ask a typical shop assistant in Thailand for information because 90% of the time they never know the answer.

There are problems on the horizon, its funny how we can see them and the locals dont. Everwhere I look there are more staff than are required and those staff are not trained to do the job they have, they do not know what they are dealing with, products or services and they dont want to, its hard work.

Prices are rising, people are buying less and more people will be laid off.

Look at what this country was like 20 years ago, largely agricultural and low wages everywhere, then manufactruring took off and the streets were suddenly paved with gold, this was really living and life was good and easy. Times have and are changing, competition is growing and ASEAN is just round the corner.

The PM knows there is a problem he said some things but I dont think many people have either listened or want to do anything about it, the ones that have maybe have changed location, the ones that here are in for a rude awakening in a very short timeframe, those who think Thailand is immune to the outside world are in for a shock znd hiw the country will handle a quick rise in unemployment we have yet to see, the real world arrives here next year, 2016 will look very different and there are very few benefits to help, look out for a dramatic rise is repossessions in all areas especially 2nd hand transport, how will they be able to sustain the ridiculous prices they expect you to pay?

and the exchange rate for those getting paid in foreign currency......

are he good old days on the horizon again?

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Are you a businessman ? I don't think so... but you state to speak for most businessmen on this forum, I think you speak for yourself and you have no clue what businessmen think .

0.8% unemployment...utter bullshit!

Using the Internet for more than this forum and emails will prevent you from making wrong statements.

Unemployment Rate in Thailand increased to 0.80 percent in September of 2014 from 0.74 percent in August of 2014

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/unemployment-rate

Thailand's unemployment rate is very low, reported as 0.9% for the first quarter of 2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand

0.7% unemployment rate

http://data.worldbank.org/country/thailand

Have you tried to find someone in the service industry who is available for hire? Electrician, plumber, carpenter, tile? They are all busy.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Yes, our office fired 35 staffs two months ago and with the current tourist numbers down another 20-30 staffs might get a chop. Total savings for 60 staffs per year is 27,360,000B. We only talk about Bangkok staffs. If the peak season doesn't recover in the South by next month, more chops on the way.

The tourism numbers dived because of Suthep, so don't blame it on the reds. Everything was planed by Suthep and according to him also with the General. The reds surely were nuts by calling up an amnesty bill but Suthep mobs blocked Bangkok so tourists have other places to visit and they might hold back Thailand for a couple of years.

Well this is a huge surprise to ----- nobody!

Sorry that the Junta hasn't managed to cure all the problems in Thailand in six months. The country was running like a Swiss watch during the decade that Thaksin led governments were in power. There was no poverty, all Thai people had high paying jobs. The government even helped them accrue debt, with the first car scheme, tablets that didn't work and a master plan of a rice scheme that cost billions. But all was not lost, PTP was not without advice to help the common folk. On August 19 2012, PTP MP Sunai Julphongsathorn told an audience of 1,000 red shirts that they should " find a farang husband for a better life". Most of the businessmen on this forum are happy for the current stability, they may not be ardent supporters of coups but they understand that indiscriminate automatic weapons fire and grenade throwing do not create a prosperous climate for business. Take a short break from your constant criticism of the current regime and appreciate the fact that Thailand is still one country, which it almost wasn't.

Yes, our office fired 35 staffs two months ago and with the current tourist numbers down another 20-30 staffs might get a chop. Total savings for 60 staffs per year is 27,360,000B. We only talk about Bangkok staffs. If the peak season doesn't recover in the South by next month, more chops on the way.

The tourism numbers dived because of Suthep, so don't blame it on the reds. Everything was planed by Suthep and according to him also with the General. The reds surely were nuts by calling up an amnesty bill but Suthep mobs blocked Bangkok so tourists have other places to visit and they might hold back Thailand for a couple of years.

This is exactly what i am saying from the moment Suthep started his planed coup....

The down spiral of Thai economy is totally on Suthep's account, and people don't need to like the reds, but sure not need to blame them.

Thailand - hard times is a comin'.

For God's sake, let's get real, we've said it once, and obviously, we need to say it again.

And it's this, "ASEAN 2015 is NOT about freedom of movement for ALL workers" !!

If it was, then half the population of Laos and Cambodia will be relocating to Thailand. And Burma would lose about a third or half it's people, read the newspapers please, lot's of people in Burma hate Burma, the place is poor and has lots of human rights abuse. And little Singapore, it's population will probably double in just two years if they allowed everybody in ASEAN to move freely.

So, 2015, NO, we are not going to see a new flood of workers (Philipinos and non-Philipinos) coming into Thailand. All those illegal migrant workers in Thailand, NO, they're not going to become legal in 2015. It's only skilled and specialised workers who will be given freedom of movement.
Yes, Thailand will be shooting itself in the foot if it was to go-ahead with scrapping all borders in ASEAN, the Thais are not stupid, they're not going to shoot themselves in the foot. By the way, I think none of the countries in ASEAN (the governments) actually want to see ASEAN removing all borders inside ASEAN.
No way is ASEAN going to be a replica or copy of the European Union. The governments of each country have too much to lose.

For God's sake, let's get real, we've said it once, and obviously, we need to say it again.

And it's this, "ASEAN 2015 is NOT about freedom of movement for ALL workers" !!

If it was, then half the population of Laos and Cambodia will be relocating to Thailand. And Burma would lose about a third or half it's people, read the newspapers please, lot's of people in Burma hate Burma, the place is poor and has lots of human rights abuse. And little Singapore, it's population will probably double in just two years if they allowed everybody in ASEAN to move freely.

So, 2015, NO, we are not going to see a new flood of workers (Philipinos and non-Philipinos) coming into Thailand. All those illegal migrant workers in Thailand, NO, they're not going to become legal in 2015. It's only skilled and specialised workers who will be given freedom of movement.

Yes, Thailand will be shooting itself in the foot if it was to go-ahead with scrapping all borders in ASEAN, the Thais are not stupid, they're not going to shoot themselves in the foot. By the way, I think none of the countries in ASEAN (the governments) actually want to see ASEAN removing all borders inside ASEAN.

No way is ASEAN going to be a replica or copy of the European Union. The governments of each country have too much to lose.

A perfect example of someone without a clue posting in hope to appear to have one.

For starters Burmese and Cambodian can already freely work in Thailand just need a little 1500-2000 baht paper. Who do you think builds buildings?

Secondly , I would nominate your statement of thailand not being stupid to shoot itself in the foot to be the silliest post of this decade.

Have you actually been to thailand or know anything about thailand?

I can only hope your answer will not be that you live in thailand for 100 years, as it would make you even more oblivion

As for unemployment in the agricultural sector, Ms Chutinart it has declined about 17.5 per cent or 2.9 million people, as many areas across the country were either hit with drought or severe flooding.

However, employment outside the sector has risen about 9.6 per cent or 2.1 million people in production, logistics, retailing, hotel restaurants, and realty sectors.

I think these figures don't make much sense. They created 2mn new jobs whilst losing 2.9mn

This must be statistically some type of amazing economic move. If they can create jobs that fast, what's the problem. Of course if they can measure it properly at the beginning that would be quite a problem

For God's sake, let's get real, we've said it once, and obviously, we need to say it again.

And it's this, "ASEAN 2015 is NOT about freedom of movement for ALL workers" !!

If it was, then half the population of Laos and Cambodia will be relocating to Thailand. And Burma would lose about a third or half it's people, read the newspapers please, lot's of people in Burma hate Burma, the place is poor and has lots of human rights abuse. And little Singapore, it's population will probably double in just two years if they allowed everybody in ASEAN to move freely.

So, 2015, NO, we are not going to see a new flood of workers (Philipinos and non-Philipinos) coming into Thailand. All those illegal migrant workers in Thailand, NO, they're not going to become legal in 2015. It's only skilled and specialised workers who will be given freedom of movement.

Yes, Thailand will be shooting itself in the foot if it was to go-ahead with scrapping all borders in ASEAN, the Thais are not stupid, they're not going to shoot themselves in the foot. By the way, I think none of the countries in ASEAN (the governments) actually want to see ASEAN removing all borders inside ASEAN.

No way is ASEAN going to be a replica or copy of the European Union. The governments of each country have too much to lose.

A perfect example of someone without a clue posting in hope to appear to have one.

For starters Burmese and Cambodian can already freely work in Thailand just need a little 1500-2000 baht paper. Who do you think builds buildings?

Secondly , I would nominate your statement of thailand not being stupid to shoot itself in the foot to be the silliest post of this decade.

Have you actually been to thailand or know anything about thailand?

I can only hope your answer will not be that you live in thailand for 100 years, as it would make you even more oblivion

Konying, yes, we all know that there's already a vast number of people from Laos and Cambodia who are already living and working in Thailand. Some of them are legal, some are illegal. What I'm trying to say, is, is that in 2015, Jan, there is not going to be a new flood of Cambodians and Laos people coming into Thailand. Surely, you agree with this ? You yourself accept that there is already a vast number of them in Thailand !

So you agree that there won't be a flood of new Cambodians and Laos people coming to Thailand in 2015 ?

What about Burmese ? Surely, you accept that the illegal Burmese in Thailand are not going to become legal in 2015 ? Those refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border, you accept that they're going to stay there ? You accept that they're not going to say to all those Burmese in the camps "okay, you can now all enter Thailand and work there, legally" ??

You do accept right, that 2015 does not mean freedom of movement of ALL workers in ASEAN ? You do accept right, that ASEAN is not the same as the European Union ? You realise in the European Union, eveybody in Greece and Portugal has freedom to move to Germany, or England, or Denmark ??

And you accept that, that right now, people in Cambodia doing unskilled labour in Cambodia, they can't automatically go to Singapore and look for a job there ? And 2015 is NOT going to change this ?

On the issue of Thais not being stupid enough to shoot themselves in the foot. Well, I think we all agree that IF there is to be total freedom of movement of workers in ASEAN, well yes, Thailand will be totally 'screwed'. Yes, we agree on that. But that's the point, 2015 is NOT about total freedom of movement for all labourers. Do we agree on that point ?

Not enough Thais speak English. Solution...throw out falang english teachers.

Small foreign investors on a capital to ratio basis, employ the most Thais. Incentive...make it as difficult as possible for small foreign investors to do business in Thailand.

Long term foreign stayers in Thailand directly and indirectly support local Thais, probably at a ration of 1:4. Policy...make it near impossible for foreigners to be here for extended time.