Thailand’s unemployment rate highest in 16 years

The Grand Palace in Bangkok on Nov. 2. Thailand earlier this month reopened to vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements, in a bid to restart its important tourism sector. (Photo: Reuters)

Hanoi (VNA) - Thailand's unemployment rate hit a 16-year high in the third quarter, as COVID-19 restrictions have seriously affected economic activities and jobs.

However, the restrictions were loosened from September, and the Southeast Asian country earlier this month reopened to vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements, in a bid to restart its tourism sector.

The unemployment rate increased to 2.25 percent in the third quarter, representing 870,000 workers without jobs, from 1.89 percent in the previous three months.

The jobless rate was 2.52 percent in the first quarter of 2005.

Earlier, the central bank said jobless numbers were expected at 3.4 million at the end of 2021. In the third quarter, overall employment dropped 0.6 percent from a year earlier to 37.7 million workers, with the hotel/restaurant and construction sectors losing the most jobs./.

VNA