Thailand Adopts New Strategy to Protect Migrant Domestic Workers and Improve Labour Rights

Many migrant domestic workers face additional barriers, including language differences, social isolation, limited awareness of labour protections, and dependence on employers for housing and legal status.

Thailand is introducing a new approach to labour protection in the domestic work sector as authorities seek to improve enforcement of labour rights for tens of thousands of migrant domestic workers employed in private households across the country.

Through a collaboration between the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Thailand's Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW), a strategic compliance planning model is being developed to address the unique challenges of regulating domestic work and ensuring workers receive the protections guaranteed under national labour laws.

The initiative forms part of the PROTECT project, a regional programme aimed at improving labour conditions and reducing vulnerabilities for women and children in the context of labour migration across Southeast Asia. Officials say the new approach recognises that traditional labour inspection systems, which are effective in factories, construction sites, and formal workplaces, often struggle to reach workers employed inside private homes.

For the approximately 125,000 registered migrant domestic workers in Thailand—most of them women from Lao People's Democratic Republic and Myanmar—as well as many more working in irregular situations, these challenges can leave workers vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and violations of labour rights.

Unique Challenges in Regulating Domestic Work

Unlike workers in conventional workplaces, domestic workers are dispersed across thousands of individual households. Their workplaces are private residences, making inspections more difficult and raising practical and legal challenges for labour authorities. Worker locations are not always readily available, and access to private homes can be restricted. As a result, labour inspectors often face significant obstacles when attempting to monitor compliance with employment laws. The hidden nature of domestic work can also make it more difficult for workers to access information about their rights or seek assistance when problems arise.

Many migrant domestic workers face additional barriers, including language differences, social isolation, limited awareness of labour protections, and dependence on employers for housing and legal status. These factors can contribute to situations where labour violations go undetected and unreported. Recognising these realities, Thai authorities and the ILO are seeking new ways to improve compliance without relying solely on traditional inspection methods.

Moving Beyond Traditional Labour Inspections

The strategic compliance planning model represents a shift from reactive enforcement toward broader, preventative approaches. Rather than focusing exclusively on individual inspections, the new strategy encourages labour inspectors to identify interventions capable of producing wider systemic change across the sector.

The approach involves working with multiple stakeholders, including recruitment agencies, community organisations, civil society groups, and other government departments. By building stronger networks and improving cooperation, authorities hope to create conditions that encourage compliance before violations occur. The strategy also seeks to strengthen complaint mechanisms, making it easier for workers to report problems and access support. Officials believe this broader approach can help reach far more workers than would be possible through household inspections alone. By addressing structural factors affecting compliance, the programme aims to improve labour conditions across the domestic work sector as a whole.

New Labour Protections Create Need for Stronger Enforcement

The importance of effective enforcement has increased significantly following changes to Thailand's labour regulations. In April 2024, Ministerial Regulation No. 15 was amended to extend several key protections of the Labour Protection Act to domestic workers for the first time. The reforms represented a major milestone for labour rights in Thailand. Among the new protections introduced were the right to an eight-hour working day, entitlement to the minimum wage, and access to 98 days of maternity leave. These measures brought domestic workers closer to the protections already enjoyed by workers in many other sectors of the economy. However, translating legal reforms into practical improvements remains a major challenge. More than two years after the amendments took effect, authorities acknowledge that ensuring compliance across thousands of private households requires new enforcement tools and strategies. The strategic compliance model is intended to help bridge the gap between legal rights and real-world implementation.

Civil Society Calls for Effective Enforcement

Labour rights advocates have welcomed the reforms but stress that legislation alone is insufficient. Jantana Ekeurmanee, Project Manager of the Foundation of Labour and Employment Promotion, an organisation supporting migrant domestic workers in Thailand, emphasised the importance of enforcement.

"Without enforcement the laws are only words on paper," she said.

"If we understand the content of the law and it is enforced effectively, it would be most beneficial for all of us."

Her comments reflect concerns shared by many labour rights organisations that legal protections must be accompanied by effective implementation if they are to produce meaningful change. Advocates argue that workers must not only know their rights but also have access to mechanisms that allow them to exercise those rights safely and effectively.

Training Labour Inspectors for a New Approach

A key component of the initiative has been strengthening the capacity of labour inspectors. In August and September 2025, a first group of 60 labour inspectors from 20 provinces in northeastern Thailand participated in specialised training focused on domestic work inspection. The training was based on a new inspection manual developed with technical support from the ILO. The programme provided inspectors with practical guidance on the unique characteristics of domestic work and the challenges associated with monitoring compliance in private households. The training also introduced inspectors to strategies for engaging with employers, community organisations, and migrant worker networks.

Officials say the initiative has laid the foundation for broader reforms in how labour compliance is promoted and monitored.

Strategic Compliance Planning Workshop

Building on the earlier training programme, a dedicated strategic compliance planning workshop was held on 14 and 15 May 2026. The workshop brought together labour inspectors, planners, and policy staff from DLPW national offices and Bangkok district offices. Participants explored ways to move beyond individual inspections and develop province-wide compliance strategies. The workshop included practical exercises based on real-world scenarios commonly encountered in the domestic work sector. These scenarios covered issues such as improving data collection through cooperation with the Department of Employment, designing community outreach programmes, and expanding access to government services for workers. Participants also discussed methods for increasing employer awareness of legal obligations. The aim was to ensure that responsibility for compliance does not fall solely on workers, particularly given the unequal power dynamics that often exist between employers and domestic workers.

Building Networks to Improve Compliance

One of the key lessons emerging from the workshop was the importance of collaboration. A participating labour inspector noted that successful compliance efforts require strong partnerships across multiple sectors. "The workshop emphasized the importance of networking and connecting with a wide range of stakeholders that can help promote compliance," the inspector said.

Officials believe partnerships with recruitment agencies, civil society organisations, migrant communities, employers, and local authorities can significantly enhance the effectiveness of labour protection efforts. By working together, these stakeholders can help identify problems early, improve awareness of labour standards, and provide support to vulnerable workers. The approach recognises that labour compliance is not solely the responsibility of inspectors but requires coordinated action across society.

Addressing Multiple Layers of Vulnerability

Thailand's domestic work sector sits at the intersection of several broader social and economic issues. Many domestic workers are migrants, women, and members of vulnerable communities. As a result, they often face overlapping forms of disadvantage. Language barriers can limit access to information and services. The isolated nature of domestic work can increase dependence on employers and reduce opportunities for social support. Many workers are also unaware of the rights and protections available to them. The strategic compliance model seeks to address these vulnerabilities through a combination of enforcement, education, awareness-raising, and institutional cooperation. Officials hope the approach will help create safer working conditions while improving access to legal protections and support services.

Regional Effort to Promote Decent Work

The initiative forms part of the broader PROTECT project, officially known as Ensuring Decent Work and Reducing Vulnerabilities for Women and Children in the Context of Labour Migration in South-East Asia. The programme is funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by the ILO, UN Women, UNICEF, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Activities are being carried out across Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The project focuses on improving labour migration governance, strengthening worker protections, and reducing exploitation and abuse.

Towards Better Protection for Domestic Workers

As Thailand continues implementing its expanded labour protections for domestic workers, authorities face the challenge of ensuring that rights guaranteed by law become realities in everyday life. The strategic compliance planning model represents a significant shift in how labour regulation is approached in one of the country's most difficult-to-monitor sectors. By combining enforcement, education, partnerships, and community engagement, officials hope to create a more effective and sustainable system for protecting domestic workers.

For the thousands of migrant women employed in private households across Thailand, the success of these efforts could mean greater access to decent work, stronger labour protections, and improved opportunities to live and work with dignity and security. As labour markets continue to evolve and migration remains a defining feature of regional economies, Thailand's experience may also provide valuable lessons for other countries seeking to strengthen protections for domestic workers and vulnerable migrant populations.