Cabinet backs civil service overhaul to rein in personnel costs
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a civil service reform programme aimed at reducing the public-sector workforce by 15% by 2032.
On Tuesday, the cabinet endorsed a civil service reform program designed to trim the public-sector workforce by 15% by 2032, according to Rachada Dhnadirek, deputy government spokeswoman. The plan involves freezing the creation of new positions and gradually eliminating jobs upon retirement to curb escalating personnel expenses.
Recurrent expenditures constitute 70% of the national budget, with personnel costs accounting for a significant portion. The government must prioritize budget allocations amidst competing needs, necessitating workforce reform.
The cabinet adopted suggestions from the Public Sector Workforce Targets and Policy Committee, led by Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt. Under the new measures, applications for civil service roles will be halted. Agencies are obligated to sustain current headcounts and fill vacancies solely when required through pre-announced or ongoing recruitment processes.
Furthermore, agencies must contemplate abolishing unfilled professional and general-category positions that have not been funded since October 1, 2024, unless recruitment has already been publicly announced.
Between fiscal years 2028 and 2032, civil service roles vacated through retirement that were previously filled by government employees under existing workforce management initiatives will no longer be reinstated, with exceptions for medical and dental roles within the Public Health Ministry and prison personnel. Beginning in fiscal 2027, 11 support-service categories will be terminated following retirement, encompassing administrative, public relations, communications, audiovisual, library, and printing services.
Written by urgent.news from Bangkok Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
