BANGKOK, March 4 Reuters Thailand39;s employment rose 1.7 in the final quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, helped by the tourism sector, after a 1.3 yearonyear increase in the previous quarter, the state planning agency said on Monday.

Jobs in the hotel and restaurant sector rose 8 annually in the final quarter of 2023 as the number of tourists increased, the National Economic and Social Development Council said in a statement.

The jobless rate dropped to 0.81 in the OctoberDecember period versus 0.99 in the prior three months, the agency said.

Thailand39;s definition of unemployment is narrow, however, and counts as jobless those who do not work a single hour in a surveyed week. Analysts say the figures do not catch Thailand39;s significant unofficial economy.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Thailand had a workforce of 40.7 million, up from 40.5 million in the prior quarter, the planning agency said.

Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Kitiphong Thaichareon; Editing by Kim Coghill, Kanupriya Kapoor

Source Reuters