The cabinet has approved in principle to increase the period of paid maternity leave for civil servants from 90 days to 188 days, or six months.
Rachada Dhnadirek, deputy government spokeswoman, said the aim is to help mothers and to support the government's policy of breastfeeding. The six-month period will allow a mother to continue to breastfeed her newborn baby with less stress, she said.
The previous policy was to allow 90 days leave with full pay and another 60 days leave without pay but the new policy will provide 98 days leave with full pay plus a further 90 days leave with half-pay.
In addition, the cabinet also approved a flexible rule for the 15-day paid paternity leave for fathers, in that they do not have to take all the leave in one chunk after the birth of their child but they can use the 15 days of paid leave over the course of a year.
The government will also extend the service hours of nurseries operated by local authorities to match the working hours of parents.
The aim is to help parents have more of a work-life balance, Ms Rachada said.