Unemployment rate in Thailand stands slightly over 1%

BANGKOK, December 12 (TNA) - The National Statistical Office (NSO) reports that Thailand's latest unemployment rate has stood at 1.3 per cent year-on-year, accounting for less than 500,000 people. NSO Director-General Putchapong Nodthaisong told journalists on December 11 that Thailand's total workforce reached 37.22 million last month, out of the population aged 15 years upwards who are ready to enter the national workforce. Putchapong said the number of employed Thai people stood at 36.65 million, out of the total 37.22 million-workforce, leaving about 481,000 jobless or about 1.3 per cent of the total workforce, compared to 1.2 per cent slated in October 2016, while about 85,300 were seasonal unemployed. The NSO chief noted that about 18.83 million Thai citizens were not ready or unable to be part of the country's total workforce, including students, housewives and the elderly. According to the NSO chief, the jobless among the male and the female Thai workforce stood at 1.4 per cent year and 1.1 per cent year respectively in October 2017, compared to 1.2 per cent and 1.1 per cent a month earlier, meaning that the latest jobless among the female Thai workforce remained intact last month. (TNA)