GIG WORKERS: CHALLENGE OF GOVERNMENT SECTORS TOWARD ADMINISTRATION OF THAI GIG WORKERS UNDER THE NEW NORMAL

Abstract

The future world of working is significantly changing while technological progress, change in world population, and attitudes of young generation are the all forcing factors on a rapidly increasing number of Gig Workers (people who independently and temporarily work with no employer nor under any company by their freedom of working choice).

This article aims to present conditions and problems of Gig Workers in Thailand, as well as the government sectors’ administrative methods toward labor protection and welfare provision for Gig Workers. According to the documentary study by data seeking and analysis, it was found that there are 30% of Gig Workers who are at working age in Thailand recently. It meant there are 3 Gig Workers among 10 of working age people who are facing problem of not receiving labor protection, along with appropriate welfare in accordance with the law. Therefore the administrative methods of Gig Worker are: 1) Improvement of the benefits to persuade Gig Workers to attend Social Security System, 2) Improvement of Social Security System in other dimensions besides the benefits e.g. Public Relations, and building trust in Social Security System to attract Gig Workers to apply for Social Security System, as well as improvement of the legal status of Gig Workers in future, and 3) Provision of labor’s skill development by doing Up-skill and Re-skill to catch up with the marketing demand.

The mentioned administrative methods of Gig Workers will create social guarantee which covers and suits to all age, gender, and group range, according to 20-year National Strategy for method of creating opportunity and social equity toward an inequality reduction as well as fairness creation of all dimensions.