Following advocacy by the Northern Labor Network on International Migrants Day, Thailand’s Department of Labor Protection and Welfare is reviewing proposals to allow female workers to take paid menstrual leave and to mandate employers to provide free sanitary products in workplaces.
Ms. Thanaporn Wijan, a coordinator with the Labor Network for People’s Rights, expressed support for menstrual leave, arguing it addresses gender-specific health needs beyond the general 30 days of paid sick leave provided by law. She also welcomed the idea of free sanitary products, noting some employers already provide this as a welfare benefit.
While acknowledging potential cost concerns from employers, she emphasized that these costs are derived from the labor value created by female workers and are unlikely to be significantly burdensome. She highlighted that such welfare would align Thailand with international labor standards and enhance workplace ethics and brand image.
Thanaporn also noted that supporting female welfare in the workplace could positively influence Thailand’s aging society and declining birth rate, by creating a more supportive environment for women to consider childbirth.