Industrial decline forcing Thais into service jobs

The Bank of Thailand has expressed concern over the weakening income outlook in the labour market, as an industrial slowdown continues to push workers into the service sector.

- SOMRUEDI BANCHONGDUANG

From the post-pandemic period in 2022 to the third quarter of 2025, Thailand's average GDP growth tallied 2.4%, driven mainly by the services sector, which now accounts for 60-61% of Thai GDP, noted the regulator.

The contribution from the manufacturing sector has steadily deteriorated, as labour shifts away from industry and agriculture to services, said Pranee Sutthasri, senior director of the central bank’s macroeconomic department, at a Monetary Policy Forum on Wednesday.

“Most labour migration has gone into traditional service sectors, where average wages remain low at around 114 baht per hour, only slightly above the Covid-period level of 110 baht,” she said.