A new draft Independent Workers Protection Act

At a glance

• The Thai Labour Protection Act, which contains the primary regulations that offer essential safeguards to self-employed individuals, is considered inadequate in protecting those who deliver their services in a ‘new normal’ lifestyle.
• This particularly applies to workers who serve multiple platform-based firms in the transport and logistics sector, such as food and parcel delivery.
• A draft Independent Workers Protection Act has been proposed with the aim of extending greater protection to self-employed workers.
• The draft underwent development in 2023 and under recent revisions, a fund will be established for self-employed workers which will be linked with the social security fund for non-self-employed workers.
• Additionally, there will be a requirement for employment contracts to be written, and for all details required by law to be agreed upon.