The government will push for a bill to promote quality of life and offer welfare protection for the 20 million informal workers, including internet influencers and farmers, currently without access to a social safety net.
Labour Ministry spokesman Phumiphat Mueanchan said the ministry is presenting the bill to the cabinet for approval before it is put before parliament.
The bill is intended to include independent workers such as farmers, freelancers, vendors, artists, actors, YouTubers, influencers and food delivery riders, who now make up a large proportion of the workforce, in a formal social welfare scheme.
Mr Phumiphat said labour laws do not formally recognise these workers. As such, they are not entitled to universal state health insurance or afforded other basic labour rights.
He said the bill would provide them with social security coverage, ensure their workplace safety and protect their rights.
In addition, it would allow the non-formal workers to be registered so the government could draw up more accurate policies, design benefits and allocate appropriate budgets based on the information they submit, he said.
Recently, Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn backed a new "Kru Kor" project aimed at training 75,249 local community leaders and volunteers nationwide to spread the word and disseminate information about the bill to informal workers so they can register promptly when the new law is passed.