Bangkok — June 1, 2026 — Thailand is pioneering a new approach to labour inspection aimed at strengthening protection for domestic workers. The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW), with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) through the EU‑funded PROTECT project, has introduced strategic compliance planning to shift enforcement from reactive inspections to proactive, preventive measures.
Domestic work in Thailand presents unique challenges, as workers are dispersed across private households and often difficult to reach. The country has around 125,000 registered migrant domestic workers, mostly women from Lao PDR and Myanmar, with many more in irregular status. Traditional inspection methods have proven limited in addressing their vulnerabilities.
The new approach encourages labour inspectors to engage recruitment agencies, civil society organizations, and community networks, while strengthening complaint mechanisms and inter‑agency coordination. It aims to create conditions where compliance becomes systemic rather than dependent on individual inspections.
This initiative follows the April 2024 amendment of Ministerial Regulation No. 15, which extended key protections under the Labour Protection Act to domestic workers — including an eight‑hour workday, minimum wage, and 98 days of maternity leave. Turning these legal reforms into real change across thousands of households requires innovative compliance strategies.
In May 2026, DLPW held a strategic compliance planning workshop for inspectors and policy staff from national and Bangkok‑based offices. Participants explored practical scenarios such as coordinating data collection with the Department of Employment, designing community outreach, and training employers to share responsibility for fair labour practices.
A labour inspector noted that the workshop underscored the importance of networking with diverse stakeholders to promote compliance. The approach also builds on earlier training delivered in 2025 to 60 inspectors from 20 provinces, guided by an ILO‑developed inspection manual.
Thailand’s domestic work sector lies at the intersection of labour migration, gender inequality, and social protection. Strategic compliance planning addresses these challenges through enforcement, awareness, and collaboration — helping ensure that domestic workers enjoy the same rights and dignity as other workers.
The PROTECT project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the ILO, UN Women, UNICEF, and UNODC, operates across Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand to promote decent work and reduce vulnerabilities for women and children in the context of labour migration.
