Diversity issues in South‐East Asia: the case of Thailand

Provides an overview of labour‐market diversity issues in Thailand. Examines factors such as religion, ethnicity and gender in the context of Thailand’s rapidly expanding economy. Concludes that religious and ethnic divisions are not especially pronounced in Thailand. However, with its relatively high female labour force participation and few restrictions on discriminatory behaviour, Thailand’s chief diversity issue concerns the role of women in the labour market. Presents an empirical analysis of data concerning job openings for white‐collar positions. Focuses on the role that multinational corporations, a major force in the Thai economy, play in promoting or inhibiting gender‐based employment discrimination. Suggests that multinationals are indeed very important in this process, with significant differences among the effects exerted by the subsidiaries of US, Japanese and European MNCs in comparison to Thai‐owned firms.