BANGKOK, Dec 12 – The new government, expected to take shape next week, should brace for rising unemployment caused by the slowdown in the world economy and Thailand's unstable domestic scene, still gripped by political turmoil which remains a threat to the well-being of the country, a senior official of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) warned Friday.
Niphon Surapongrukcharoen, vice president of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said the next prime minister, yet to be nominated, should be competent to bring back confidence to the kingdom and lead the nation to political stability.
He said the new government must cope with the problem of unemployment.
"If the Gross Domestic Product drops by one per cent, it will likely cause unemployment for about 350,000 (currently employed workers)," he warned.
"If the GDP drops by three per cent, there will be one million unemployed," Mr. Niphon said. "The next government must brace for that problem by collaborating with the private sector. It will be satisfactory if the government can prevent unemployment by 70-80 per cent.
National Statistical Office (NSO) secretary-general Thananut Trithipphayabut warned earlier that Thailand's unemployment in 2009 may soar to one million persons from about 450,000 now due to current global economic problems and unsettled domestic politics, which recently resulted in the closure of two Bangkok airports.
Some 260,000 employees in small- and medium-sized hotels, tourism and service industry businesses are projected to be laid off in 2009 due to the severe impact on the tourism sector of the closure of two airports in Bangkok by anti-government protesters, Mrs. Thananut said.
