Domestic workers in Thailand: their situation, challenges and the way forward

This report reviews and analyzes the situation of both Thai and non-Thai domestic workers in Thailand, in particular to those working in private households. It is designed to reveal key issues and recommendations which can contribute to advocacy efforts of the ILO and its partners in Thailand in their campaign to promote decent work for domestic workers.

Despite the demand for and contribution of domestic workers in the larger economy and general social good, domestic work is neither well recognized in the Thai society nor well protected by the Thai labour law. Many if not most domestic workers are migrants from neighbouring countries. The majority them are not only more vulnerable to labour and other forms of exploitation than Thai domestic workers, but they also have little access to any existinglabour protection under the Thai labour law.