Thailand has achieved its highest-ever international ranking in efforts to combat the worst forms of child labour, earning a ‘Significant Advancement’ rating in the US Department of Labor’s 2024 report.
Labour Minister Trinuch Thianthong on Thursday attributed the success to coordinated efforts across government, the private sector and civil society.
According to the 2024 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, Thailand was assessed at the ‘Significant Advancement’ level, marking the first time since 2017 that the country has moved up from a moderate to the top tier.
Key measures include Ministerial Regulation No.15 enforced in 2024, which extends labour protections to household domestic workers and prohibits employing children younger than 15 in domestic work, in alignment with international standards, she said.
Additionally, government initiatives have granted citizenship to 477,000 stateless individuals, including 142,000 children, thereby expanding access to education and economic protections and reducing their vulnerability to exploitative work.
Ms Trinuch said the recognition represents only the first step toward sustainable, safe, and fair labour management.
‘It ensures quality of life for all workers and enables Thai children and youth to grow safely and contribute to the country’s long-term development,’ she added.
Thailand is the sole Asean country among nine nations, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro and Panama, to reach the top rating in the 2024 TDA Report, she noted.
Saroj Komkay, director-general of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, said the report assesses 131 countries worldwide under the US Trade and Development Act (TDA), encouraging action against child labour, including commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking.
Thailand conducted inspections of formal and informal sectors, targeting 115 high-risk industries, including agriculture, fisheries and textiles, many of which appear on the US List of Goods Produced with Child Labour, Forced Labour, and Forced Child Labour.