Businesses are unlikely to recruit more employees or increase salaries in 2016, a survey by the Employers' Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry has indicated.
Vic-chairman Thanit Sorat said a preliminary result of the survey on trends for hiring and salaries next year found about 70% of respondents currently intended to maintain the same sized workforce and wages as in 2015.
They may change their minds after reviewing the overall situation in mid-2016.
He said maintaining the present workforce with a production capacity utilisation rate of only 58% reflected that they had more workers than needed but had tried to keep them all.
Mr Thanit said the slow economy throughout 2015 might have resulted in a higher employment rate.
Most employers were of a view not to increase wage levels, but they would wait for the next review and agreement between employers and the Labour Ministry due in mid-2016.
Some businesses may increase wages, with the maximum at 5%.