Unemployment rises to pandemic high

Thailand’s unemployment in the first quarter rose to around 760,000, or 1.96 per cent, the highest since the pandemic started, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported Monday.

The unemployment rate rose again after a small recovery in the second half of 2020, reflecting prolonged Covid-19 impact, said NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan.

In 2020, the proportion of jobless jumped to 1.95 per cent in the second quarter when the full lockdown was imposed nationwide, before slipping back to 1.86 per cent in the fourth quarter.

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