The International Labour Organization (ILO), through the EU-funded PROTECT Project, is collaborating with civil society and private sector partners to promote fair recruitment and decent work for migrant workers in Thailand’s construction industry. The sector depends heavily on migrant labour, with approximately 600,000 migrant workers employed in 2022, around one-third of whom are women. Many of these workers are hired through subcontractors, which can exacerbate vulnerabilities and limit access to protections.
Construction work in Thailand carries significant risks, highlighted by a March 2025 skyscraper collapse caused by an earthquake. The incident resulted in 96 confirmed fatalities, and out of 900 workers on-site, only 59 were registered with the Social Security Office, revealing critical gaps in worker protections and social security coverage. Women migrant workers often face additional challenges, including discrimination and unequal pay compared with men or Thai nationals.
To address these issues, the ILO PROTECT Project, in partnership with the World Vision Foundation of Thailand, trained 15 Migrant Worker Volunteers on labour rights, protection, and referral services. These volunteers conduct training sessions at construction sites in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, raising awareness among migrant workers—particularly women—about their rights, entitlements, available healthcare services, and protections against gender-based violence. The project also provides training for subcontractors to encourage fair recruitment practices and improve understanding of workers’ labour and protection rights.
The initiative is designed to enhance the protection of women migrant workers in Thailand’s construction sector, reduce labour rights violations, and prevent gender-based violence. It also promotes responsible business conduct and the adoption of decent work practices across the private sector. Participants, such as Oh, a Lao migrant woman construction worker, reported that the training provided crucial information on healthcare, family planning, and occupational safety, often for the first time, highlighting its practical impact in addressing daily workplace hazards.
