Policy brief: Equality of treatment for migrant worker complaints and benefit claims in Thailand

A substantial portion of the over 3 million migrant workers in Thailand are not able, willing, or aware of how to exercise their labour rights. The problem is compounded by inadequate mechanisms for resolving complaints, which do not provide an accessible means for denouncing abuses when they occur. Similarly, for social security and workers’ compensation claims, there is a substantial gap between the rights provided to migrants under law and their application in practice. To provide support to Thailand’s Ministry of Labour in strengthening access to complaint mechanisms, as well as social security and workers’ compensation benefits, a better understanding of how migrants currently use these services was needed. In order to fill the knowledge gap and develop measures for improvement through social dialogue, the ILO held a series of provincial and national consultations with tripartite representatives and civil society organizations. This policy brief documents the recommendations made and suggests a way forward for implementation.