Unemployment rate rises in Thailand

[webfact]

Unemployment rate rises

 

 

BANGKOK: - Unemployment rate in January this year increased from December last year with most unemployed are in the Northeast region.

 

The National Statistical Office said in January this year there are 37.94 million people in working ages, but 37.21 million of them or 98.1% are employed while 449,000 or 1.2%  are unemployed, and 275, 000 others or 0.7% are seasonal unemployed.

 

The figure showed that the number of unemployed in January this year was 100,000 higher than the same month last year, and also was higher than last December.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/unemployment-rate-rises/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-02-20

[Thaiwrath]

I was always led to believe that there was no unemployment here, as the figures usually only included those that wanted to work.

[daveAustin]

So they say, three foot-shufflers to one civil servant/shop assistant job notwithstanding. Wonder what the unemployment rate would be when monks are taken into consideration. 

[AGareth2]

does that include inactive posts?

[Deli]

and I and friends as well can't find qualified staff....

[elgordo38]

9 minutes ago, Deli said:

and I and friends as well can't find qualified staff....

Just a question what is considered qualified in your eyes not being facetious just curious. My g/f tells me that if you do not have a degree and are not under 25 years of age your chance at a good job is nil. She speaks and UNDERSTANDS English is good with people adaptable and would understand what the job expects of her. She is a really good people person honest to the nth degree. 

[Searat7]

I think the "Underemployment rate"  here would be of interest too. So many people supposedly working but doing practically nothing.

[CharlieK]

8 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Just a question what is considered qualified in your eyes not being facetious just curious.

 

My understanding is you need a Uni degree to work as an air steward/ess in Thailand. A glorified waiter! Which other country requires such a standard? 

[williamgeorgeallen]

wonder how they come up with these numbers. no unemployment benefit collectors to count.

[waldroj]

"...98.1% are employed..."

 

Impressive !!! But, how many are gainfully employed ???

 

Popping zits, or using LINE on a smart phone all day, doesn't count.

 

[elgordo38]

17 minutes ago, waldroj said:

"...98.1% are employed..."

 

Impressive !!! But, how many are gainfully employed ???

 

Popping zits, or using LINE on a smart phone all day, doesn't count.

 

There you go rudely awakening me and bringing back to reality how dare you. 

[Brer Fox]

46 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I think the "Underemployment rate"  here would be of interest too. So many people supposedly working but doing practically nothing.

Like highly paid civil servants and those in the corruption industry (or both). 

[elgordo38]

48 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I think the "Underemployment rate"  here would be of interest too. So many people supposedly working but doing practically nothing.

The underemployment rate is taboo in most countries. Yes all countries have a image problem. The witch of the west never discusses this in her constant talking up of the American economy. All she can say is that a rate hike is just around the corner. 

[Baerboxer]

56 minutes ago, CharlieK said:

 

My understanding is you need a Uni degree to work as an air steward/ess in Thailand. A glorified waiter! Which other country requires such a standard? 

 

I think you'll find the standards in recruitment for air cabin crew pretty exacting with most Airlines. Qatar I know attend recruitment sessions at Chinese universities. I discussed this once in Doha airport first class lounge.

 

A university degree is a common requirement now; as is the growth in Master's degrees for those seeking development and advancement. Both are now more common.

 

Many airlines now look to recruit in low cost labor countries, China, SE Asia, Africa and then train them. That requires the ability to learn, which a University degree should show they can do to a standard. 

 

Ageism is also rife. Forget all this crap about organizations not having age caps or wanting to employ mature people. Very few do. Most want young people who they can train and then reap the benefit for many years.

[Bullie]

1 hour ago, elgordo38 said:

Just a question what is considered qualified in your eyes not being facetious just curious. My g/f tells me that if you do not have a degree and are not under 25 years of age your chance at a good job is nil. She speaks and UNDERSTANDS English is good with people adaptable and would understand what the job expects of her. She is a really good people person honest to the nth degree. 

But is she qualified? English means nothing, to the average Thai. Does she have a degree in economics, law, or some other useful profession?

Not that this would exceed high school standards, but in the land of the blind......

[Bullie]

1 hour ago, CharlieK said:

 

My understanding is you need a Uni degree to work as an air steward/ess in Thailand. A glorified waiter! Which other country requires such a standard? 

Any country that assumes high school standards are equal to a university degree.

[dinsdale]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The National Statistical Office said in January this year there are 37.94 million people in working ages, but 37.21 million of them or 98.1% are employed while 449,000 or 1.2%  are unemployed, and 275, 000 others or 0.7% are seasonal unemployed.

 

This is almost full employment. Very, very ,very rubbery figures. Unemployment figures world wide are utter nonsense.

[Thailand]

Impossible, with the massive infulx of tourists and the huge foreign investments pouring in to the country there should be no unemployment at all.

[Eric Loh]

So the spin regarding financial robustness are falling off bit by bit. Backward data high foreign reserves, low debt to GDP, +BBB rating are now facing the reality of rising unemployment, increasing budget deficit, unproductive spending on military hardware, raiding the treasury reserves, unattainable 3-4% GDP for 2017, lacklustre export as well as waning export competitiveness and a subdue domestic demand. Throw in a drop of domestic and foreign investment, the future under this junta government looks appalling even with the the trillions spent on infrastructure. The next government will have a hard time cleaning up the mess.  

[seancbk]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

2 hours ago, CharlieK said:

 

My understanding is you need a Uni degree to work as an air steward/ess in Thailand. A glorified waiter! Which other country requires such a standard? 

 

I think you'll find the standards in recruitment for air cabin crew pretty exacting with most Airlines. Qatar I know attend recruitment sessions at Chinese universities. I discussed this once in Doha airport first class lounge.

 

A university degree is a common requirement now; as is the growth in Master's degrees for those seeking development and advancement. Both are now more common.

 

Many airlines now look to recruit in low cost labor countries, China, SE Asia, Africa and then train them. That requires the ability to learn, which a University degree should show they can do to a standard. 

 

Ageism is also rife. Forget all this crap about organizations not having age caps or wanting to employ mature people. Very few do. Most want young people who they can train and then reap the benefit for many years.

Virgin Atlantic (in the UK) only require 3 GCSE or equivalent passes.  

In other words they'll take someone with almost no education.

[seancbk]

2 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

2 hours ago, Deli said:

and I and friends as well can't find qualified staff....

Just a question what is considered qualified in your eyes not being facetious just curious. My g/f tells me that if you do not have a degree and are not under 25 years of age your chance at a good job is nil. She speaks and UNDERSTANDS English is good with people adaptable and would understand what the job expects of her. She is a really good people person honest to the nth degree. 

 

Where is she based?

What sort of salary is she looking for?  (assuming non professional, non skilled position, not meeting customers, but with basic English required)

Is she over 40?

 

[Airalee]

What would the unemployment rate be if you took out all the superfluous workers.  Every 7-11 is staffed with 4-5 employees, all the eyeglass stores, etc etc.  I once counted 14 sales clerks in the Central Kad Suan Kaew women's shoe department with no customers in sight.

[robblok]

27 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

So the spin regarding financial robustness are falling off bit by bit. Backward data high foreign reserves, low debt to GDP, +BBB rating are now facing the reality of rising unemployment, increasing budget deficit, unproductive spending on military hardware, raiding the treasury reserves, unattainable 3-4% GDP for 2017, lacklustre export as well as waning export competitiveness and a subdue domestic demand. Throw in a drop of domestic and foreign investment, the future under this junta government looks appalling even with the the trillions spent on infrastructure. The next government will have a hard time cleaning up the mess.  

 

I think you will be hard pressed to find a Western country with a employment rate like this. Also the deficit is far lower then most Western countries.USA has 2,6% of GDP comparible to Thailand only a much higher GDP debt ratio.

 

I know you like to comment on the junta.. but please.. do inform yourself a bit more about what other countries are doing. 

[chiang mai]

2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

wonder how they come up with these numbers. no unemployment benefit collectors to count.

They use sampling, the same method used by many countries, it's actually quite reliable.

[Mook23]

2 hours ago, CharlieK said:

 

My understanding is you need a Uni degree to work as an air steward/ess in Thailand. A glorified waiter! Which other country requires such a standard? 

Many uni degrees in thailand are pure aesthetic. And comparable with standard high school in my country...

I assign little value to most thai uni degrees. Paid for or not.

[chiang mai]

31 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

So the spin regarding financial robustness are falling off bit by bit. Backward data high foreign reserves, low debt to GDP, +BBB rating are now facing the reality of rising unemployment, increasing budget deficit, unproductive spending on military hardware, raiding the treasury reserves, unattainable 3-4% GDP for 2017, lacklustre export as well as waning export competitiveness and a subdue domestic demand. Throw in a drop of domestic and foreign investment, the future under this junta government looks appalling even with the the trillions spent on infrastructure. The next government will have a hard time cleaning up the mess.  

Compare that "robustness" to any other countries in the Western world, line item by line item, on a percentage basis only and tell us what you see.

[Mook23]

7 minutes ago, Airalee said:

What would the unemployment rate be if you took out all the superfluous workers.  Every 7-11 is staffed with 4-5 employees, all the eyeglass stores, etc etc.  I once counted 14 sales clerks in the Central Kad Suan Kaew women's shoe department with no customers in sight.

So true. The glass stores are a mystery to me. I went there twice for small repair and they didn't even charge me. When i asked a girl what she liked about her job she replied: the airco. No. Joke!

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, Bullie said:

But is she qualified? English means nothing, to the average Thai. Does she have a degree in economics, law, or some other useful profession?

Not that this would exceed high school standards, but in the land of the blind......

Thanks for your question. Weeellll she could sell herself and no not at the bars. Yes English means little to the average Thai which it should and with the ever increasing number of foreigners arriving English would seem to be import and increasing in importance because well that is where the money lies. She is smart enough to walk into a large electronics dealer which I shall leave unnamed and realize that 60% of its employees should be fired because the only electronics they are familiar with are their mobiles and the rest put on commission. She would also realize the value of having a couple English speaking people on site and I have many friends that shop there and walk out in frustration because the cannot make their wishes known. Understanding and relating to your customers is the number one requirement in retail. Being a mobile phone expert seems to be the only qualification one needs here in the LOM. Your not trying to be a Bullie are you?? Dampen your approach a little people will take you to better. 

[Nigeone]

7 minutes ago, Airalee said:

What would the unemployment rate be if you took out all the superfluous workers.  Every 7-11 is staffed with 4-5 employees, all the eyeglass stores, etc etc.  I once counted 14 sales clerks in the Central Kad Suan Kaew women's shoe department with no customers in sight.

Great point....Global in Lamphun has so many staff it's unreal..And I've yet to see many do anything but menial tasks . They just seem to sit around talking or waiting for a customer then have to go and get someone else as they don't know where to find anything...

[Srikcir]

The Sangha World in Thailand consists of about 200,000 monks. A man cannot become a monk until he reaches the age of twenty.

http://www.thailandparadise.com/thailand-monks.htm

Are monks included in unemployment figures? Or are they considered employed by a temple where they reside?