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Industrialization, globalization and labour force participation in Thailand

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  • Voravidh Charoenloet

Abstract

This article analyses the impact of globalization and industrialization on Thailand's labour market. While acknowledging the trend rise in wage employment in the labour force over the period 1971–2009, the article also shows that over half of the labour force has remained in non-wage employment, which has left a significant share of them vulnerable to the abuses of the capitalist system. The lack of technological upgrading has meant that employers have increasingly resorted to subcontracting work to informal homeworkers to compete in low value added activities. Outsourcing has also allowed employers to bypass the minimum wage legislation. Hence, we argue that it is important that workers from all forms of work are mobilized to strengthen the role of unions to ensure that there is a shift from the low to a high road to industrialization so that workers’ rights are protected.

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  • Voravidh Charoenloet, 2015. "Industrialization, globalization and labour force participation in Thailand," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 130-142, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rjapxx:v:20:y:2015:i:1:p:130-142
    DOI: 10.1080/13547860.2014.974336
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael T. Rock, 1995. "Thai industrial policy: How irrelevant was it to export success?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 7(5), pages 745-757, September.
    2. Rajah Rasiah, 2009. "Garment manufacturing in Cambodia and Laos," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 150-161.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sukampon Chongwilaikasaem & Chaleampong Kongcharoen & Nakarin Amarase, 2022. "Relationship between Conflict and Labor Market in the Deep South of Thailand," PIER Discussion Papers 193, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Donghyun Park, 2022. "The Economic Consequences of Globalization on Thailand by Juthathip Jongwanich , Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge, 2022, xii + 288 pp," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 60(2), pages 113-116, June.

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