The National Statistical Office of Thailand said 189,182 businesses nationwide needed 306,148 workers last year, but 59.4% of the available positions - or 181,827 - were left vacant.
The highest labour demand, for 154,820 workers, came from wholesale, retail and service businesses, followed by 133,114 in production and the rest in construction, land transport and hospitals.
The lion's share of wanted workers were skilled ones, numbering 72,049, followed by 61,984 factory workers. The smallest labour demands were in the agricultural sector, with 807 workers needed, and fishery, 644 workers.