Summary of the labor force survey in Thailand :December 2016

Structure of the Labor force The results of Labor Force Survey in December

2016 showed that there are population, aged 15 years and over, of about 55. 7 7 million persons. Of these 37 .7 9 million were in the labor force or available for work (37.36 million were employed, 303 thousand were unemployed and 129 thousand were seasonally inactive labor force), while 17 .9 8 million were not in the labor force or not available for work, such as housewives, students or elderly.

Employed of the Labor force -Employed There were 3 7 .3 6 million employed persons,

which 12.57 and 24.79 million were in agriculture and non-agriculture sectors, respectively. Comparing with December in 2015, it was shown that the number of employed persons in agriculture sector decreased by 1 .0 6 million and non-agriculture sector decreased by 450 thousand (from 25.24 million to 24.79 million). This decrement was found in various industries e.g. 0 . 3 8 million in manufacturing, 0.20 million in construction, 0.11 milion in public administration defence and compulsory social security, 40 thousand in accommodation and food service activities and 20 thousand in education and human health and social work activities. However, a increase in some other industries was found e.g., 0.11 million in wholesale and retail trade repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 60 thousand in other service activities, 30 thousand in financial and insurance activities and real estate activities and the rest shared in the other industries.

Underemployment workers

Considering the number of underemployed workers and available for additional work, there were 0.17 million or 0.5% of the total employed persons.

of population Table 1 Comparison aged 15 years and over by labor force status

Unit : million persons

Labor force status 2015 2016

Nov Dec Nov Dec

Persons 15 years and over 55.38 55.41 55.74 55.77

1. Total labor force 38.56 39.16 38.11 37.79

1.1 employed 38.11 38.87 37.66 37.36

1.2 unemployed 0.35 0.25 0.38 0.30

1.3 seasonally 0.10 0.04 0.07 0.13

2. Not in labor force 16.82 16.25 17.63 17.98

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employed persons Table 2 Comparison of number of by industry Unit : Million persons

Industry 2015 2016

Nov Dec Nov Dec Total 38.11 38.87 37.66 37.36

1. Agricultural 12.85 13.63 12.41 12.57

- Agriculture, forestry and fishing

12.85 13.63

12.41 12.57

2. Non-Agricultural 25.26 25.24 25.25 24.79

- Manufacturing 6.34 6.31 6.26 5.93

- Construction 2.02 2.04 2.06 1.84

- Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

6.04 6.03 6.17 6.14

- Transportation and storage 1.27 1.20 1.10 1.22

- Accommodation and food service activities

2.70 2.69 2.76 2.65

- Financial and insurance activities

0.58 0.51 0.54 0.54

- Real estate activities 0.21 0.18 0.16 0.21

- Public administration defence 1.58 1.60 1.52 1.49

and compulsory social security

- Education 1.21 1.17 1.25 1.15

- Human health and social work activities

0.72 0.76 0.66 0.74

- Other service activities 0.76 0.76 0.79 0.82

- Others 1.83 1.99 1.98 2.06

Remark : Underemployment worker is a worker who working less than 35 hours per week and available for additional work.

Figure A Comparison of number and rate of underemployment in 2015 and 2016

Rate

2.11 1.70

2.39

1.89 2.19 2.25

3.05

1.75 1.95

2.44

1.90

2.352.38

1.99

2.60

3.09 2.68

2.36

1.77 1.82 2.20 2.13

1.79 1.72

0.60.4

0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6

0.8

0.5 0.50.6

0.5

0.60.60.5

0.7 0.8 0.70.6

0.5 0.5 0.6 0.60.5

0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Number 2015 Number 2016

Rate 2015 Rate 2016

Unit : hundred thousand persons

2

Considered underemployment rate by sex, it was shown that the overall underemployment rate of male was higher than female.

In December 2016, number of underemployment of male was higher than female (92 thousand and 80 thousand respectively).

And underemployment rate of male was 0.5% and female was 0.5%.

Unemployment -Number and Rate of unemployment

In December 2016, the total number of unemployed persons were 0.30 million or 0 .8% of the total labor force and increased of 48 thousand (from 255 thousand to 303 thousand) comparing to the same period as in 2015 . And, showed a decreased of 7 5 thousand (from 378 thousand to 303 thousand) in November 2016.

Comparing to the unemployment rate to the same period as in 2015 increased from 0.7% to 0.8% and decreased from 1.0% to 0.8% comparing to November in 2016.

Unemployment rate by sex

Considered unemployment rate by sex in December 2016, it was found that, unemployment rate of male was higher than female (0.9% and 0.7% respectively)

Figure D Comparison of unemployment rate by sex in 2015-2016

Figure B Comparison of number and underemployment rate by sex in 2015-2016

Figure C Comparison of number and rate of unemployment in 2015 and 2016

1.23

1.00

1.47

1.201.07

1.28

1.87

1.03 1.20

1.39

1.08

1.381.261.18

1.51

1.90

1.461.42

1.11 1.09

1.55

1.35

1.070.920.89

0.70

0.93

0.69

1.12

0.97

1.18

0.72 0.75

1.05

0.820.97

1.12

0.81

1.90

1.181.22

0.94

0.65 0.73

0.650.780.720.80

0.00

1.00

2.00

JanFebMarAprMayJun Jul AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun Jul AugSepOctNovDec

2015 2016

male female

Unit : hundred thousand persons

4.04

3.16

3.78

3.24 3.55

3.22

3.85 3.77

3.003.28

3.46

2.55

3.47 3.35

3.97 3.96

4.53

3.92 3.91 3.60

3.34

4.50

3.78

3.03

1.1

0.81.0 0.9 0.9 0.8

1.0

1.0

0.8 0.9 0.90.7

0.9

0.9 1.0 1.01.2 1.0 1.0

0.90.9

1.21.0

0.8

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Number 2015 Number 2016

Rate 2015 Rate 2016

Unit : hundred thousand persons Rate

1.1

0.7

1.2

0.90.8

0.8 0.80.9

0.8

0.9

1.0

0.7

1.00.9

1.2

1.0

1.2

1.0

0.90.8

0.9

1.3

1.00.9

1.0 1.0

0.9

0.8

1.1

0.90.91.0

0.7

0.8

0.70.6

0.9 0.90.8

1.11.2

1.0

1.1

1.0

0.8

1.1

1.0

0.7

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2015 2016

male female

Rate

3

Unemployment rate by age group

Regarding the unemployment rates by age groups, there were 3 .5% in a youth group (aged 15-24 years) and 0.5% in adults group (age 25 years and over).

The unemployment rate in the youth group increased from 2 .5% to 3 .5% comparing to the same period as in 2015 , and decreased from 5 .3% to 3 .5% comparing to November in 2016 . In adults group did not change (0.5%) comparing to November in 2016.

Number and Rate of unemployment by level educational attainment

For level of educational attainment of unemployed persons in December 2016, it was found that most of them had higher level (99 thousand or 1.3%), followed by those with lower secondary level (7 5 thousand or 1.2% ), upper secondary level (57 thousand or 0 .9% ), primary level (54 thousand or 0.6%) and no schooling and incomplete primary level (18 thousand or 0.2%).

Comparing to the same period in 2015, the result showed that the number of unemployed persons with higher level and lower secondary level increased of 24 thousand, no schooling and incomplete primary level of 6 thousand and primary level of 1 thousand However, those with upper secondary level decreased of 4 thousand. Number of unemployed by experience of work

Out of 303 thousand, there were 108 thousand having never worked (65 thousand were male and 4 3 thousand were female) and 1 9 5 thousand had ever, among these, the number of unemployed persons who ever worked increased by 2 7 thousand (from 1 6 8 thousand to 195 thousand), comparing to the same period as in 2015 . It was found that 195 thousand distributed in 3 sectors i.e. 94 thousand in services and trade, 8 3 thousand in manufacturing and 1 8 thousand in agriculture.

Figure G Number of unemployed by experience of work in December 2016

Figure F Comparing of number and rate of unemployment by level educational attainment in December 2015 and 2016

Figure E Comparing of unemployment rate by age group in 2015 and 2016

4.5

3.6

4.9

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

5.6

4.3

3.6

3.5

2.5

4.3

4.0

5.2

5.1

6.4

5.1

5.4 5.3

4.1

5.55.3

3.5

0.7 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.50.6 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.5

0.0

2.5

5.0

7.5

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2015 2016

Youth (15-24 years) Adult (25 years and over)

Percent

0.12

0.53

0.51

0.61

0.75

0.18

0.54

0.75

0.57

0.99

0.00 0.40 0.80 1.20

Primary

Lowersecondary

Uppersecondary

Higher level

2016

2015

(0.8)

Number (00,000) percent

Education level

(0.2)

(0.9)

(0.1)

(1.3)

(1.0)

(0.6)

(0.9)

(0.6)

(1.2)

No schooling/Incomplete primary

Agriculture18 thousand

Service and Trade94 thousand

Manufacturing83 thousand

male65 thousand

female43 thousand

never worked 108 thousand

ever worked195 thousand

4

The number of unemployed persons who never worked 108 thousand, it was found that most of them had higher level of 60 thousand, followed by those with upper secondary level of 24 thousand, lower secondary level of 13 thousand and primary level of 11 thousand.

The number of unemployed persons who ever worked 195 thousand, it was found that most of them had lower secondary level of 62 thousand, followed by those with primary level of 43 thousand, higher level of 39 thousand, upper secondary level of 33 thousand and no schooling and incomplete primary level of 18 thousand.

Number of unemployed and unemployment rate by region

Concerning the number of unemployed and the unemployment rate by region, it was found that those in the Central was the highest with (1 0 0 thousand or 0.9%), followed by the Northeast (69 thousand or 0.7%), the North (53 thousand or 0.8%), the South (46 thousand or 0.9%) and Bangkok (35 thousand or 0.7%).

Comparing to the same period as in 2015, the unemployment of the whole kingdom increased of 48 thousand. However, concerning by region, it increases in the Central, Bangkok and the North but decrease in the South.

Figure H Comparing of number of unemployed and unemployment rate by region in December 2015 and 2016

0.35

1.00

0.53

0.69

0.46

0.24

0.76

0.50

0.41

0.64

0.0 0.5 1.0

Bangkok

Central

North

Northeast

South

Number (00,000) percent

2015

2016

(1.2)

(0.7)

(0.9)

(0.7)

(0.5)

(0.9)

(0.7)

(0.4)

(0.8)

Region

(0.8)

Total 3.03 1.95 1.08

1. No schooling/Incomplete primary 0.18 0.18 -

2. Primary 0.54 0.43 0.11

3. Lower secondary 0.75 0.62 0.13

4. Upper secondary 0.57 0.33 0.24

5. Higher level 0.99 0.39 0.60

-academic 0.68 0.24 0.44

-vacational 0.24 0.13 0.11

-academic studies 0.07 0.02 0.05

level education attainment Total Ever worked Never worked

Unemploy persons Table 3 Number of by experience of work

and level educational attainment in December 2016

Unit : hundred thousand persons