Thailand faces labour shortage due to border closures
A labour shortage, particularly in manpower-intensive industries such as agribusiness and food processing, is likely to intensify over the long term in Thailand as the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for foreign labourers to move across borders.
Migrant workers at the Labour Ministry (Photo: Bangkok Post)
Bangkok (VNA) - A labour shortage,particularly in manpower-intensive industries such as agribusiness and foodprocessing, is likely to intensify over the long term in Thailand as the COVID-19pandemic makes it difficult for foreign labourers to move across borders.
According to President of the Labour and Skill DevelopmentCommittee and Vice Chairman of the Thai Board of Trade Poj Aramwattananont,hundreds of thousands of foreign workers returned home following the outbreak. Mostworkers who returned home have yet to return to Thailand, while new infectionsare rising in neighbouring countries, leading the government to retain itsstrict lockdown measures along the borders.
Prior to the outbreak, there were about 3 million foreign workers legallyregistered. Foreign workers represent up to 50-60 percent of the workforce incertain labour-intensive industries such as agribusiness and food.
Thailand also remains short of workers in elderly care and as housekeepers, theofficial said.
He added although Thai workers are encouraged to work in the industrial sector,many unemployed Thais are uninterested in working in factories related to foodprocessing, rubber gloves, food and agricultural products.
The private sector is calling on all parties to come up with measures tostimulate or entice Thai unemployed workers to work in industries such as theagricultural and food industries, which are estimated to need 200,000-300,000workers.
After the pandemic recedes, business owners who fail to find workers may opt touse more automated systems and machines, eventually resulting in higherunemployment in the country.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported totalunemployment of 750,000 people in the second quarter, making up 1.95 percent ofthe total workforce. That figure is the highest since the second quarter of2009./.
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Migrant workers at the Labour Ministry (Photo: Bangkok Post) 
