Calls for new mums to get more leave

A Thammasat University academic has backed calls to extend Thailand’s maternity leave from 98 to 180 days as part of an effort to help the country tackle its declining birth rate.

- CHAIRITH YONPIAM

Kritsada Theerakosonphong, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Social Administration, said yesterday that maternity leave of 180 days would bring Thailand in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

The WHO advises a minimum period matching the International Labour Organisation’s convention on providing maternity leave of no less than 14 weeks and recommends the period should ideally be no less than 18 weeks.