Thailand
Thailand – ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Thailand has developed enormously in the last four decades and is now an upper middle-income country with Southeast Asia’s second largest economy. Although often considered a sunset industry that is overshadowed by higher-value manufacturing sectors (automotives and electronics, among them), the Thai garment and textiles sector remains a significant employer, providing jobs for some 402,779 workers - 70% of them female, and many of them migrants from neighbouring countries (Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR). With a significant domestic textiles base, it is also one of the few vertically integrated apparel supply chains in the region.
The Thai garment sector faces significant challenges amid intense regional competition and lower production costs (in places like Vietnam and Bangladesh), although it has good infrastructure, logistics and supply chain linkages, as well as having retained a niche in certain higher value product categories (advanced synthetics used in sportswear, for example). Despite all the challenges, about US$6.033 billion worth of textiles and clothing were exported in 2023, accounting for 2.45% of total exports.
Population
Total
71,801,279 (2023)
Gross Domestic Product
GDP per Capita (constant USD, thousand)
$6,278.4 (2022)
Human Development Index Ranking
HDI Rank (out of 191 countries)
66 (2022)
Garment/Textile Workers
Number of workers in the garment/textile sector
402,779 (2023)
Women Workers in the Garment/Textile Industry
Percentage of women workers employed in the garment/textile industry
70.3% (2023)
Number of Garment/Textile Factories
Number of factories in the garment/textile industry
2,607 (2023)
Garment/Textile Industry Exports
(USD$ billion)
USD 6.033 billion (2023)
Garment/Textile Industry Size
Percentage of total exports
2.45% (2021)
Minimum Wage
Monthly minimum wage in USD
USD 250 - USD 280 (2024)
Key Garment/Textile Export Markets
Top five countries ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)
| Country | Percentage of Exports |
|---|---|
| United States | 18.65% |
| Japan | 11.11% |
| Vietnam | 7.47% |
| China | 5.96% |
| Indonesia | 4.42% |
Government Entities
Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industry
Worker Organizations
Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizations
- Labour Congress of Thailand (LCT)
- State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC)
- Thai Trade Union Congress (TTUC)
- National Congress Private Industrial of Employees (NCPE)
- National Congress of Thai Labour (NCTL)
- Federation of Textile and Garment, Sewing and Lather Goods of Thailand
- Textile Industrial Labour Union
Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerce
- The Employers’ Confederation of Thailand
- The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)
- The Thai Chamber of Commerce (Thai Chamber)
- Thai Garment Manufacturers Association
- Thai Textile Merchants Association
- The Bobae Garment Association
- The Association of Thai Bleaching, Dyeing, Printing and Finishing Industries
- The Thai Silk Association
- Thai Weaving Industry Association
Development Agencies/ International Organizations
National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Decent Work in Garment Supply Chains Asia (ILO)
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations
Organizations working within the garment/textile industry
- Pratthanadee Foundation (Women)
- Mae Sot Labour Law Clinic MRC (Migrant workers)
- Chiang Mai MAP Foundation MRC (Migrant workers)
- Arom Foundation
Sources of data provided
- Population: https://population.un.org/dataportal/data/indicators/49/locations/586,50,116,608,764,144,704/start/2023/end/2023/table
- GDP Per Capita: GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) | Data (worldbank.org)
- HDI: https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/THA
- Garment / Textile Workers: https://www.thaitextile.org/th/insign/detail.3884.1.0.html
- Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry: https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Stories/discrimination/garment-gender#the-global-garment-industry-a-bird%E2%80%99s-eye-view-(1)
- Number of Garment / Textile Factories: https://www.thaitextile.org/th/insign/detail.3884.1.0.html
- Garment / Textile Industry Exports: https://www.thaitextile.org/th/insign/detail.3884.1.0.html
-
Garment/Textile Industry Size Percentage of total exports: https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/THA/Year/2021/TradeFlow/Export/Partner/all/Product/50-63_TextCloth
- Minimum Wage: https://wageindicator.org/salary/minimum-wage/thailand (Thailand has daily minimum wages that vary from region to region – between THB 330 (US$ 9.60) and THB 370 (US$ 10.77) per month with effect from January 1, 2024)
- Key Garment / Textile Export Market (2021): https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/THA/Year/2021/TradeFlow/Export/Partner/all/Product/50-63_TextCloth
News on Thailand
MoreRenowned Thai Sewing Company Closes and Lays Off All Staff
A famous Thai sewing company in Samut Sakhon has shut down its branch, laying off all employees due to rising production costs, global competition, and economic volatility. The closure marks a significant loss the local industry, leaving long-time workers devastated.
Read MoreMyanmar Mandates 25% Wage Remittance from Migrant Workers in Laos to Boost Currency Reserves
Myanmar’s labor ministry now requires migrant workers in Laos to send 25% of their wages through official channels to boost foreign currency reserves. Workers, concerned about low exchange rates and fees, say this impacts their take-home pay. The policy mirrors similar remittance requirements for Myanmar workers in Thailand.
Read MoreNew OECD Handbook Guides Companies on Achieving Living Wages in Global Supply Chains
The OECD has released a new handbook to help businesses implement living incomes and living wages in agriculture, garment, and footwear supply chains. The guide utilizes the OECD due diligence framework, offering practical tools for companies to turn their commitments into tangible actions.
Read MoreSelected Folder or Collection item returned no results