Thailand’s Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW), with support from the ILO’s EU-funded PROTECT project, is advancing efforts to extend labour rights to domestic workers, most of whom are women. The initiatives focus on educating workers about their rights and strengthening the ability of labour inspectors to ensure effective enforcement across the country.
A training session held in Bangkok on 24 August brought together domestic workers to learn about their entitlements under Thai labour law, including minimum wages, working hours, maternity leave, and protection against dismissal due to pregnancy. At the same time, 30 labour inspectors from 10 provinces received training on addressing the specific challenges faced by domestic workers, guided by a new inspection manual developed with ILO support. Another group of 30 inspectors will undergo training in September.
These measures build on the progress made in April 2024, when Ministerial Regulation No. 15 was amended to extend several provisions of the Labour Protection Act to domestic workers, both nationals and migrants. The protections now cover an eight-hour workday with a rest period, the minimum wage, personal leave, and 98 days of maternity leave per pregnancy, with 45 days paid. The regulation also bans dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy, addressing a long-standing vulnerability for women workers. According to Thailand’s 2018 Informal Economy Survey, nearly 290,000 domestic workers were employed in the country, with women accounting for seven out of ten positions.
For many workers, these reforms have provided a sense of relief and security. A Myanmar domestic worker who attended the training expressed happiness at learning that she shares the same rights as Thai workers, which made her feel more protected.
Although gaps remain—such as ensuring access to overtime pay and severance benefits under the Labour Protection Act—the new regulation represents a significant step forward in protecting the rights of domestic workers, ensuring they are no longer excluded from essential labour protections.
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