National Productivity
The limitations of its workforce are leading to comparatively low productivity in Thailand and offer Thailand non-promising hope to be a leading nation in the Southeast Asia. According the World Bank (2012), despite its achievements in economic development over the last two decades, productivity gains in Thailand have been relatively small and labor input has contributed to less than one-tenth of the growth. Recent GDP per person employed of Thailand in 2012 was still far from competing with its neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore (Chart 3). After showing little improvement between 2007 and 2009, GDP per person employed in Thailand slightly increased toward the end of 2012. However, the trend was least significant and fluctuated. Meanwhile other ASEAN countries, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Philippines, posted solid increases during the same period.
Chart 3. ASEAN Member States: GDP per person employed