Improved access to social protection and safe work sought for Thailand’s agricultural workers

CHONBURI, Thailand (ILO News) – Employers, workers and provincial partners are working together to help improve access to the Worker’s Compensation Fund (WCF) and strengthen workplace safety in Thailand’s agriculture sector.

A workshop held in Chonburi on 4 February 2026 organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Employers’ Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) sought to strengthen understanding of the Worker’s Compensation Act B.E. 2537 (1994) to widen WCF coverage. It also helped identify prevention measures to reduce exposure to common hazards in agricultural work.

Taking part were 50 participants, including employers and workers from the rubber, palm oil, cassava and pineapple sectors. They were joined by representatives of the Chonburi Provincial Office of Labour Protection and Welfare and the Chonburi Provincial Social Security Office. 

Safe work and effective injury protection are critical to the future of Thailand’s agriculture sector, as labour shortages an ageing workforce and reliance on migrant labour increase risks for workers and employers alike. Migrant workers also commonly face heightened occupational risks and limited access to social protection.

Speaking at the event, Siriwan Romchatthong, Secretary-General of ECOT said, “Social protection is fundamental to ensuring quality living and working conditions for workers and for the long-term sustainability of the agriculture sector. ECOT recognizes the importance of raising awareness among employers and migrant workers in agriculture regarding their access to the Worker’s Compensation Fund, which can help protect workers while supporting more stable, responsible and productive workplaces.”

Adding the provincial perspective, Chaerdchak Aun-kha, Director of the Chonburi Provincial Office of Labour Protection and Welfare, underlined the local impact, “With exposure to hazards such as machinery, chemicals and long working hours, strengthening preventive measures and compliance with labour standards can reduce injuries and illness and improve working conditions. This benefits not only businesses but also the provincial and national economy.”

Representing the Chonburi Provincial Social Security Office, Rungtiwa Thongsuknok noted that feedback from employers and migrant workers on practical challenges and limitations in compliance and access will help the Social Security Office better understand on-the-ground realities and contribute to strengthening implementation and policy responses going forward. 

Also speaking at the event, Rebecca Napier-Moore, ILO Technical Officer, highlighted the global and national significance of Thailand’s agricultural sector: “Agriculture employs one-third of the Thai labour force. Good working conditions are needed to ensure the large number of workers in the sector are valued and have rights like any other worker.”

Thailand is a major destination country for migrant workers in South-East Asia, where approximately 3.8 million documented migrant workers from Myanmar, Lao PDR and Cambodia live and work. Over one million are employed in agriculture, which contributes up to 8.6 per cent of the country’s GDP, with an export value of US$51 billion. Migrant workers in the informal agricultural economy remain largely excluded from labour and social protection and often face low wages, excessive working hours, occupational safety and health risks and limited access to the related social security schemes.

The “Social Protection Workshop for Employers and Migrant Workers in the Agriculture Sector” was co-organized by ECOT and the ILO through its Japan-funded Responsible and Inclusive Supply Chains for Migrant Workers in Thailand (RISC-Migrant) project and the Migrant Advocacy for Rights (MARs) project.

 

Originally published by ILO