Thailand’s unemployment rate drops below 1% for first time in four years (Photo:thestar.com.my)Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand’s unemployment rate at the end of February droppedbelow 1% for the first time in four years, which is a sign that the economy isimproving, the government announced on April 23.
Deputy government spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul cited the NationalStatistical Office (NSO)’s report showing that the rate of unemploymentat the end of February stood at 0.9%, compared to 1% at the end of last year.
Shesaid the last time theunemployment rate drop to below 1% was in October 2019, whenThailand was enjoying normal growth and a strong tourism sector before it washit by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
The NSOreport shows that 40.49 million of the 58.81 million Thais above the age of 15have entered the workforce. The remaining 18.32 million that are not in theworkforce include students, housewives and the disabled.
The NSOalso noted that the number of employed people rose from 39.81 million at theend of 2022 to 39.91 million by the end of February. Of the 40.49 millionpeople in the workforce, 360,000 or 0.9% were unemployed, down from 390,000 or1% at the end of last year.
The NSOsaid the remaining 220,000 could not be classified as unemployed because theyare seasonal workers.
Trisuleealso noted that the government aims to boost employment and bring it topre-COVID-19 levels./.
