Thailand made significant advancement efforts eliminating worst form of Child Labor

September 30, 2013. Department of Labor released the 2012 ‘Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor’ report which indicated that Thailand made a significant advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Government passed the Ministerial Regulation on Labor and Welfare Protection for Domestic Workers, which offers protections to child domestic workers, including setting the minimum age for domestic work at 15 years. The Government also updated the list of hazardous occupations and working conditions prohibited to children and increased the minimum age for children to work in sea vessels from 16 to 18. In addition, the Government announced a new provision to extend healthcare benefits for all Thai and migrant women and children, including free healthcare for children, and continued to participate in a project to eliminate child labor in the shrimp and seafood processing industry.

However, enforcement of child labor laws continues to be weak and the Government lacks current nationwide data on child labor. Children continue to be engaged in the worst forms of child labor, including in hazardous activities in agriculture, and shrimp and seafood processing. For the full report please go to www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/thailand.htm

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