Layoffs in Thailand 2025 to 2026: What's Happening and How to Prepare
A data-based look at layoffs in Thailand: main causes, work that is still growing, and five things working people should do now.
Lately, almost every week brings news of a factory closing, a company restructuring, or a friend in your group chat saying their team was dissolved. Many people are starting to ask how safe their own role is. This article sums up what is happening using verifiable data, explains the main causes, and gives working people a preparation plan they can actually act on.
The big picture: what the numbers tell us
Nation Thailand reported in February 2025, citing the Department of Industrial Works, that 1,140 factories closed in 2022, 1,811 in 2023 and 1,234 in 2024. Kasikorn Research Center estimated that at least around 100 businesses closed per month over the previous two years. Sectors identified as vulnerable include textiles, garments, furniture, metal and steel, as well as automotive.
On the other hand, People Matters reported figures from the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) showing Thailand's unemployment rate in Q3 2025 at 0.76%, about 310,000 people. That is still low, but the number of underemployed people rose 8.7%. In other words, the problem many face is not only “losing a job” but “not getting enough work” or earning less.
Main causes of layoffs
1. Cost competition and cheap imports
Many manufacturers, especially in steel and textiles, face price pressure. When they cannot sell at a viable price, production cuts and job cuts follow.
2. The automotive industry in transition
The shift to electric vehicles is forcing parts of the existing supply chain to adapt. Some types of work are shrinking while new skills are in greater demand.
3. AI and automation taking over repetitive work
Work with fixed steps, such as data entry, basic customer questions or account reconciliation, is increasingly handled with automation. Some roles shrink, while others change into work that supervises and checks AI output.
4. Restructuring for efficiency
Many companies merge departments, remove management layers or exit non-core businesses, even when overall results are not bad.
What kind of work is still growing
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs 2025 report expects about 170 million new jobs and 92 million displaced jobs worldwide by 2030, a net gain of 78 million. The fastest-growing roles in percentage terms are Big Data Specialists, FinTech Engineers and AI/Machine Learning Specialists, while care work, delivery and transport, and software development grow strongly in absolute numbers. It is a global picture, but it points to the skills worth investing in.
Skills the WEF says are becoming more important
- AI and big data
- Networks and cybersecurity
- Technological literacy
- Creative thinking, flexibility and lifelong learning
The same report estimates that 39% of the core skills employers need will change by 2030.
Cautions when reading layoff news
- News of closures does not mean every industry is cutting staff; some sectors are still hiring
- Figures from different sources use different definitions, such as “factories” versus “businesses,” so do not add them together
- For social media posts without sources, wait for data from official agencies or reliable media before making decisions
In a fast-changing world, security doesn't come from keeping the same chair. It comes from skills the market still needs.
What you should do now
- Assess the risk in your own job: list the work you do every week, and see which parts are repetitive tasks automation could do and which need judgement or relationships with people
- Learn to use AI in your own work: start with the tasks you do most often; browse partner courses at Plants.work Learn
- Build transferable skills: communication, data analysis and project management work in almost any industry
- Build an emergency fund: set aside several months of essential expenses
- Follow the job market regularly: see what skills open roles require on Plants.work Jobs, and keep your resume up to date
If you are facing a layoff now, read Your rights after a layoff in Thailand and Which career path to reskill into after a layoff, or talk through your options with the AI Career Assistant to plan your next step with real information.