BANGKOK, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's labor market continued to grow in the second quarter of 2026 due to increases in both agricultural and non-farm employment, led by the construction sector, official data showed on Monday.
The number of employed persons in the Southeast Asian country rose 5.1 percent year-on-year to 41.5 million in the April-June period, accelerating from a 4.6 percent gain in the previous quarter, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
Agricultural employment increased 6.5 percent from a year earlier, supported by higher farm output and agricultural prices, even as delayed rainfall pushed up the seasonally inactive labor force, the state planning agency said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the non-farm sector expanded 4.5 percent, benefiting from an 8.3 percent pickup in construction jobs in line with stronger private investment and a 5.8 percent increase in hotel and restaurant employment fueled by growing domestic tourism, particularly during long-holiday periods.
However, the nation's overall unemployment rate stood at 0.95 percent in the second quarter, representing around 400,000 unemployed individuals, edging up from 0.91 percent in the same period last year, said NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan.
The number of quasi-unemployed individuals working fewer than 24 hours per week climbed 8 percent year-on-year, driven by elevated underemployment, especially in the non-agricultural sector, Danucha told a news conference.
Looking ahead, he identified employment risks in the farm sector owing to the El Nino weather pattern, which is expected to intensify toward the year's end as lower rainfall and longer dry spells have already caused drought conditions in several areas, putting more pressure on agricultural production and rural labor. ■