Testing times for labour force

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, several industries have been facing a labour shortage after about 500,000 migrant workers returned home before the border closure.

As reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Thailand is home to an estimated 4.9 million migrant workers, who have become significant cogs in the country’s economic development.

This year, Thailand became a fully fledged ageing society as many Thai labourers left home to work in other countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Israel rather than receive the minimum daily wage of between 331 to 336 baht.

In past years, migrant workers — especially from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos — have filled the labour gaps, but they have experienced inadequate welfare. We saw…