Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Labour Market in Thailand

This study aims to explore the labour market in Thailand during the COVID-19 era. By using individual data from the National Statistical Office of Thailand, we estimate the probability of a worker becoming unemployed and being temporarily absent from work. The results demonstrate that the pandemic could cause a higher chance of being unemployed for younger workers. However, the chance of being temporarily absent from work increased for older and less-educated workers. Each sector was affected differently by the pandemic. Workers in large firms were more likely to be unemployed, suggesting that the pandemic disproportionately affected large firms, compared to micro, small or medium-sized enterprises. Keywords: COVID-19, labour market, sectoral unemployment, Thailand.
1. Introduction Government and individual behavioural responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have strongly affected Thai labour markets. During the pandemic, the unemployment rate and the number of workers who were [...]