Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Thailand (Ratification: 2007)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the wide range of measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities, details of employment of persons with disabilities in state agencies from 2019 to 2022 under the Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act, as well as information concerning the Thirteenth National Economic and Social Development Plan for 2023–27, and the Fifth National Plan for Empowering the Persons with Disabilities for 2017–21, which was extended to 2022. It notes that, in its 2016 concluding observations on the initial report of Thailand, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities expressed concern at the low employment rate among persons with disabilities, particularly among women (CRPD/C/THA/CO/1). It was also concerned about the prejudice against persons with disabilities, their lack of opportunities for training to gain access to employment, and employers’ preference to pay a levy to the National Fund for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities rather than recruit persons with disabilities. In its report, the Government highlights the employment measures taken, including the plan to drive the employment of persons with disabilities in state agencies through integrated activities with various sectors, such as job matching activities and job placement for persons with disabilities in state agencies, as well as workshops with various ministries to identify issues and challenges, develop guidelines for employing persons with disabilities, and develop ministry-level indicators to employ persons with disabilities in the government sector. Moreover, the Government indicates that the Social Employment Promotion Project for Persons with Disabilities was initiated in the 2021 fiscal year by the Department of Employment, within the Ministry of Labour. The project conducted a public relations campaign to encourage employers to employ persons with disabilities to work in public service units instead of paying a levy to the National Fund for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. A job-matching initiative targeting 1,000 employers provided jobs to 568 out of 1,285 participating persons with disabilities. In the 2022 fiscal year, 187 establishments participated in the project and employed 1,450 persons with disabilities out of 1,673 participants. Referring to June 2022 data, the Government indicates that there are 2,116,751 persons with disabilities who are registered for benefits and assistance. The Committee notes that, according to a 2025 UNICEF publication, 10.8 per cent of youth with disabilities aged 15–24 are employed in Thailand, compared to 38.6 per cent of youth without disabilities. This difference is even more striking when examining the reasons for non-employment. Youth with disabilities cite their disability as the primary reason for not working, whereas youth without disabilities cite studying as the predominant reason for not being employed. The Committee asks the Government to indicate measures taken to accelerate efforts to ensure the full and effective implementation of a comprehensive national policy on vocational rehabilitation and the open labour market employment of persons with disabilities, in line with the Convention’s objectives. It requests the Government to provide disaggregated data and a critical assessment of the actual impact of measures taken, including the integration of disability concerns in the Thirteenth National Economic and Social Development Plan and the outcomes of the Fifth National Plan for Empowering Persons with Disabilities. The Committee emphasizes the urgent need for targeted affirmative action, particularly addressing the persistent employment gap for women and youth with disabilities, and calls for concrete steps to eliminate barriers to training, recruitment, and retention in both the public and private sectors. The Committee further requests the Government to establish robust mechanisms to monitor and enforce employer compliance with employment quotas, including concrete penalties and incentives to discourage the payment of levies in lieu of employing persons with disabilities. It also requests detailed information on specific measures implemented to promote inclusive and accessible vocational training and job placement services, as well as strategies to address attitudinal barriers and strengthen public awareness. Recognizing the pronounced employment disparities – especially among youth with disabilities – the Committee asks the Government to consider taking measures for the proactive development and reporting of targeted interventions, outcome indicators, and impact evaluations, with consistent consultation and involvement of organizations representing persons with disabilities. The Committee encourages the Government to systematically mainstream disability inclusion in all economic and employment policies, and to provide comprehensive, up-to-date statistical data and evidence of progress in all future reports.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it engages in consultations with the social partners on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities based on a dual approach. The first approach involves the Ministry of Labour consulting with representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations through a tripartite mechanism. The second approach involves the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, which is part of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, promoting cooperation and coordination among public agencies, the private sector, and civil society organizations ensuring representation for seven types of disabilities. The Government indicates that consultation with the social partners occurs through committees and sub-committees focused on the career and employment promotion of persons with disabilities. Notably, the composition of the National Labour Development and Vocational Training Coordination Committee includes heads of government agencies and organizations, representatives from the employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as experts. A subcommittee has also been established with 39 members, namely the Deputy Minister of Labour, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour, government, employer and worker representatives, as well as various leaders from disability organizations, such as Disabilities Thailand, the Thailand Association of the Blind, and the Association of the Physically Handicapped of Thailand. Additionally, another subcommittee focused on empowering persons with disabilities in labour was appointed by the National Labour Development and Vocational Training Coordination Committee, which also includes disability organizations among its 33 members. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the content and outcome of the consultations held with the social partners and organizations representing persons with disabilities on the matters covered by the Convention, including within the National Labour Development and Vocational Training Coordination Committee and its sub-committees.

Article 7. Services accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, within the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, is responsible for monitoring the data related to persons with disabilities and publishes a quarterly report. As at 30 June 2022, there were 2,116,751 persons with disabilities in Thailand, with 852,096 in the labour force (ages 15 to 59). This group includes 313,591 employed persons with disabilities, 81,502 unemployed individuals, 52,181 persons with disabilities who are unable to work, and 404,822 individuals who chose not to disclose their information. The Government indicates that it has launched various accessible facilities and services for persons with disabilities, including service centres for persons with disabilities established under the guidelines of the National Committee for Empowering Persons with Disabilities. These centres fall into two categories: Provincial Service Centres, with one in each province, serving 269,664 individuals from October 2021 to March 2022, and General Service Centres, created by disability organizations and local state agencies, totalling 2,585 centres in 2022. In addition, Smart Job Centres established by the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour, serve as comprehensive centres for employment and services, including recruitment, career guidance, and labour market information. Furthermore, the Committee notes that, since 2020, the introduction of the Smart Card has replaced handicap cards, facilitating access to government services for persons with disabilities. Between January and July 2020, 104,390 Smart Cards were issued. Labour market information support measures are disseminated through various channels, including the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s 24-hour Social Assistance Centre Hotline, and numerous websites for job matching and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to strengthen and expand the provision of comprehensive, accessible, and inclusive services for persons with disabilities, ensuring that all vocational rehabilitation, employment, and support centres are fully equipped to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain, and advance in decent work, including in rural and underserved areas. The Committee requests the Government to provide disaggregated data by disability type, sex, age, and region on service usage and employment outcomes, with particular attention to identified barriers such as discriminatory practices, accessibility gaps, and the needs of women and youth with disabilities. It further calls on the Government to regularly evaluate and publicly report on the effectiveness and impact of these services, including Smart Job Centres and the Smart Card system, and to set ambitious targets for continuous improvement. The Committee encourages the Government to ensure that all employment and support services actively involve organizations of persons with disabilities in their design, implementation, and monitoring, and are complemented by robust outreach and awareness-raising strategies. Finally, the Committee encourages the Government to supply information on any measures taken to guarantee universal access to assistive technologies, reasonable accommodation, and individualized support – particularly for those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. The Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position to demonstrate sustained progress in removing service access barriers and achieving equality of opportunity for all persons with disabilities in employment.

Article 8. Vocational rehabilitation and employment services in rural areas and remote communities. The Government indicates that the Department of Skill Development has been restructured into 25 institutes for skill development and 52 offices for skill development, located in all provinces across Thailand, to organize training courses for target groups, including persons with disabilities. Employment service centres, called Smart Job Centres, were also established in all provinces across the country by the Department of Employment to provide services to persons with disabilities seeking employment. The Social Employment Promotion Project for Persons with Disabilities was implemented to encourage employers and establishments across the country that are contributing to the National Fund for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to shift to providing benefits directly to persons with disabilities or their caregivers – for example by hiring them in alternative arrangements, providing support to caregivers, or funding community-based work. This can be accomplished by hiring persons with disabilities to perform supportive work in public service units in the community near their homes. The campaign aims to distribute job opportunities evenly to persons with disabilities in marginalized areas to enable them to be employed, independent, and enjoy an equal footing with others. The Committee further notes that the Social Security Office of the Ministry of Labour provides vocational rehabilitation services in medical, psychological, social, and occupational fields for workers who have work-related injuries and who are covered by disability insurance. The services are provided at the industrial rehabilitation centres in five regions. The Committee asks the Government to indicate measures taken to accelerate and broaden efforts to ensure persons with disabilities living in rural and remote areas have equitable, effective access to vocational rehabilitation and employment services, underpinned by comprehensive outreach and support strategies. It also asks the Government to provide disaggregated data by region, age, disability type, and sex on participation and outcomes in skill development programmes, employment service centres, and the Social Employment Promotion Project. The Committee calls for specific information on measures to address and overcome persisting barriers, such as lack of physical accessibility, limited transportation, insufficient reasonable accommodation, and employer reluctance, particularly in marginalized and underserved provinces. Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to guarantee that persons with disabilities, including those from ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities in rural and southern border provinces, are meaningfully included in the design, implementation, and evaluation of all employment and vocational rehabilitation initiatives. The Government is also requested to indicates measures to regularly publish outcome data and impact assessments, and set ambitious targets set for increasing job placements, sustainable entrepreneurship, and local economic inclusion for persons with disabilities in every province. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to encourage measurable progress in removing rural disparities and safeguarding equal employment opportunity for all.

Article 9. Training of staff responsible for persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the information provided on the various measures, including workshops and online courses, taken to improve the capacity of staff responsible for persons with disabilities. It notes, for example, that the Office of the Basic Education Commission, within the Ministry of Education, developed a training curriculum for teachers who educate persons with disabilities. The training aims to inform teachers about disabilities and learners with special needs, as well as how to manage education for each type of person with disabilities and learner with special needs, based on their interests and career paths. The course, which has a total duration of one year, requires both theory sessions (200 hours) and practice sessions (one semester). The Committee asks the Government to systematically strengthen and expand specialized training programmes for all staff engaged in vocational guidance, training, placement, and employment services for persons with disabilities, including teachers, public employment officers, and private sector HR professionals. It calls for the development and implementation of standardized competency frameworks and certification processes, ensuring that staff receive high-quality, practical, and ongoing training tailored to the diverse needs, interests, and career aspirations of persons with different types of disabilities. The Committee further requests the Government to provide detailed, disaggregated data on the coverage, content, and impact of all capacity-building initiatives – including the number of staff trained per activity, proportion of staff trained in rural and underserved regions, and follow-up mechanisms to assess knowledge application in practice. The Committee also encourages the Government to ensure active involvement of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the development, delivery, and evaluation of all staff training programmes, and to set ambitious targets for continuous professional development. Regular information on tangible improvements in service quality and outcomes for disabled jobseekers as a result of enhanced staff capacity should be included in future reports.