Chiang Mai – On May 10, 2026,  the Chiang Mai  Domestic Workers Group, together with the MAP Foundation and academic representatives, held an online forum to monitoring the progress of the benefits of the domestic worker that employers do not engage in, especially the right to enter the Social Security System Section 33 and the Compensation Fund that has been a long-standing regulatory gap. 

Revealing legal barriers that is "locking" the rights of domestic workers 

Asst. Prof. Songpan Tantrakul, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, said that despite the current Ministerial Regulation No. 15 (B.E. 2567) under Labor Protection Act   B.E 2541, to increase the protection of domestic workers in many areas, such as minimum wages and holidays. However, the "Social Security Rights" are still excluded from the Royal Decree B.E 2560, Which has the excepting for domestic worker who work only in the house.  

In addition, the Workmen's Compensation Fund also has the same problem as the Workmen's Compensation Act defines the term as an employee except for group of workers that work in the house (Domestic worker) that are not related to the employer’s business. As a result, when an employee has a work accident, such as falling down the stairs or getting hurt in the house, the employer does not have to pay contributions and the employee is not entitled to the relief from the fund, resulting in the burden of medical expenses or loss job immediately. 

Pointing out "Ministry's Regulation No. 15" is still problematic and lags behind the parent's law. 

The meeting reflected the major issue of the Ministerial Regulation No. 15 which specifies the right to maternity leave is only 98 days, which still follow the original law. Although the labor protection law has now been extended to 120 days, this resurrection has led to a proposal from the labor representatives that the Ministerial Regulation should be repealed, and the Labor Protection Act should be turned into to the Labor Protection Act B.E 2541 to cover all occupations equally. To reduce confusion and increase quality of life standards. 

Proposing a 'One-Stop Service' and eliminate broker systems 

Representatives of labor and academics jointly proposed the following approaches to the reform of the labor registration system: 

• Practical online registration system: Currently, the government's online system has a lot of problems. Employees make payments, but their names are missing from the system. Or the approval process is delayed for over a year. 

• One-Stop Service: proposed to integrate the Department of Employment, the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare, and the Social Security Office to allow registration and contribution payments to be completed in a single place. 

• Fair electronic contracts: to reduce the problem of employers confiscating the worker’s ID or work permit cards or dismissing them unfairly and to be evidence to enter the social security system. 

• Agent Fees: Proposes the government to establish languages and registered assistance centers directly to reduce the burden of ten thousand baht that employees have to pay to the brokerage company. 

The Northern Labor Network and Chiang Mai Domestic Worker Group will prepare proposals to be submitted to the Minister of Labor during July-August to monitor the progress of the working group to expand the social security coverage that is still stalled, including the push for Thailand to sign the ILO Convention No. 189 on valuable jobs for domestic workers in order to enhance the rights of Thai workers to meet international standards. 

The Chiang Mai Domestic Workers Group will hold an event on International Domestic Workers Day this June 16 to campaign and collect additional feedback from fellow domestic workers.