Phuket’s booming job market: Officials report 99% employment rate
Phuket’s job market is thriving, with 99.15% of registered residents employed, according to the latest report from the Phuket Subcommittee on Labour Development and Provincial Vocational Training Coordination (SVTC).
The figures were unveiled during a meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Ronnarong Thipsiri at the Phuket Skill Development Institute 21 yesterday, January 29, where officials reviewed the province’s labour situation and workforce development plans for 2025.
According to the National Statistics Office, Phuket’s total population stands at 619,978, with 500,422 individuals of working age (15 and older), making up 80.73% of the population. Of the 355,350 people in the labour force, 352,288 are employed, leaving just 3,062 (0.86%) unemployed.
Despite the high employment rate, businesses continue to seek workers. Between September 26 and December 25, 2024, employers sought to fill 1,335 positions across 14 occupations, with 876 vacancies still open as of January 23. The top five most in-demand roles are:
- Store sales staff
- Food and beverage service workers
- Customer service staff
- Building cleaners
- General labourers
To tackle workforce shortages and upskill workers, provincial government officials launched labour training programmes aligned with 12 economic and social principles. The initiative focuses on tourism, health tourism (345 trainees), food processing (20 trainees), and digital industries (635 trainees).
The Phuket Skill Development Institute 21 is also running a 3.466 million-baht workforce training programme targeting 800 trainees. So far, five out of 40 classes have been completed, training 110 individuals.
Officials also discussed the Independent Labour Promotion and Protection Act, expected to take effect in 2025, aiming to enhance protections for independent workers, ensure fair wages, and improve social security benefits.
With labour market monitoring and strategic workforce development, officials believe these initiatives will bolster Phuket’s economy, enhance competitiveness, and improve workers’ quality of life in the long run, reported The Phuket News.
In similar news, the long-awaited nationwide implementation of the 400-baht daily minimum wage remains uncertain, according to Labour Permanent Secretary Boonsong Thapchaiyuth.
While some major tourism provinces like Phuket and Chon Buri began offering the increased rate from January 1, Boonsong admitted there is no guarantee the wage hike will extend to all provinces anytime soon.
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