Thailand may lose up to 2 million jobs this year as the novel coronavirus outbreak undermines economic activity, the state planning agency said on Thursday. About 8.4 million people are at risk of losing their jobs - 2.5 million in the tourist sector, 1.5 million in the industrial sector and 4.4 million in other parts of the service sector, Thosaporn Sirisumphand, head of the National Economic and Social Development Council said. The expected jobless rate of 3%-4% this year - compared with about 1% normally - would be around a level seen during the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis, Thosaporn said. "That is based on an assumption that the outbreak situation can be controlled from May, which will spur economic activity" he said.

Thailand may lose up to 2 million jobs this year as the novel coronavirus outbreak undermines economic activity, the state planning agency said on Thursday. About 8.4 million people are at risk of losing their jobs - 2.5 million in the tourist sector, 1.5 million in the industrial sector and 4.4 million in other parts of the service sector, Thosaporn Sirisumphand, head of the National Economic and Social Development Council said. The expected jobless rate of 3%-4% this year - compared with about 1% normally - would be around a level seen during the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis, Thosaporn said. "That is based on an assumption that the outbreak situation can be controlled from May, which will spur economic activity" he said.