Home-Based Care Labour Needs in Thailand

This report focuses on projecting Thailand's need for national and migrant labour to support home-based care for older persons. It outlines the demographic shift in Thailand, highlighting the increasing aging population and the corresponding demand for care services. The document explains how traditional family-based care is changing, with fewer family members available to provide unpaid care, leading to a greater reliance on paid domestic workers, many of whom are migrants. The report details the challenges faced by domestic workers, including poor working conditions and exploitation, while also noting the recognition of domestic work through the ILO Domestic Workers Convention and Thailand’s Ministerial Regulation No. 15. It presents scenarios illustrating future care needs and offers recommendations for promoting an age-friendly environment, emphasizing the necessity of increasing community care resources and addressing the financial barriers faced by low-income older persons. The report aims to guide Thailand in developing a sustainable care regime that respects the rights of all care workers.