Who Suffers the Most During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence From Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates Thailand's recent labor market disruption induced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using its Labor Force Survey data from 2018 to 2021. We provide empirical evidence to validate the varied effects among different demographic categories. Workers that are the most adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are (1) in high-risk sectors, (2) less educated, (3) young workers, and (4) parents. Our empirical results show that the unemployment rate positively relates to marital status and sectorial risk levels—that is, married and public sector employees are less likely to be unemployed. Furthermore, less occupational flexibility and parenthood decrease wages, and these effects are more prominent for women, suggesting the country's “she-cession.”