BANGKOK, 11 June 2019 (NNT) – The problem of child labor in Thailand has improved, as the Ministry of Labor continues to hold campaigns against child labor and exploitation of children.
On Tuesday (June 11), the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare organized an event to mark the World Day Against Child Labour, which falls on June 12 of every year. The event featured exhibitions and activities arranged by public agencies, private development organizations, and employers and employees.
The Director-General of the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare, Wiwat Tanghong, said after presiding over the opening of this event that the child labor problem in Thailand has improved, as the country has stepped up to the fight against child labour. As a result, fewer children are being exploited and there are fewer children entering the labor market. According to a child labor study conducted by the United States, Thailand’s ranking has improved for two consecutive years.
To maintain the status and improve the ranking further, the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare conducted its first-ever study on child labor from July to September 2018, with collaboration from the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ILO provided academic ideas and suggestions so that the study would be internationally accepted. The study found that economic deprivation, poverty, and unhealthy family life were the main causes of child labor. According to the study, some 400,000 children had to enter the labor market and 170,000 of the child workers did not continue their education. Many of them were 15 to 18 years old and they mostly worked in the agricultural sector. Many child workers also worked for more than 14 hours a day, which can be detrimental to their health.
This study will be used for developing work policies for related agencies to protect children from exploitation and improve their quality of life in an efficient and concrete manner.
Source: National News Bureau of Thailand
