The Impacts and Remedial Measures of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Unemployed Workers: A Case Study of Workers in Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

This research aimed to study the economic and social impacts on unemployed workers from the COVID-19 outbreak; and to study the effectiveness of government policies on unemployed workers from the COVID-19 outbreak.  A mixed-method research was used to collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data. The key informants in the qualitative research method were 20 government officers and representatives of workers from all sectors.                       The quantitative research method collected data from a sample of 385 unemployed workers registered with the Social Security Office using a questionnaire with a reliability of 0.79. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics.

The research results found that: In terms of the economic and social impacts on unemployed workers from the COVID-19 outbreak, workers from all sectors faced economic problems, such as being laid off and having their compensation reduced due to reduced working hours. In terms of social dimensions, workers faced unemployment due to the closure of the business and insufficient income to cover their debts. For the results of government policies on unemployed workers from the COVID-19 outbreak, it was found that unemployed workers reflected the results of government operations in supporting and providing remedy to unemployed workers, including effectiveness, efficiency, sufficiency, fairness, equality, and satisfaction, which were all at a low level.