Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said, meanwhile, he would work to make the capital city a safer place for women.

Surin Jirawisit, deputy permanent secretary for labour who presided over celebrations organised yesterday by the ministry, stressed that the female workforce was vital to the country's economy.

As proof, he cited an international trade report last year by the Chamber of Commerce University that said some 80 per cent of Thailand's export earnings resulted from industries using mainly female labourers. Last year, almost half (48 per cent) of 8.5 million labourers working at 411,068 businesses across the country were women, he said.

Surin said the needs of women workers would be included in the government's national economic and social development plans to ensure increased welfare benefits and better quality of life for women. He did not elaborate.

The Labour Ministry also plans to expand protective measures to "off-system" female workers, such as housewives engaged in handicraft making and other earning schemes at home, he said.

To celebrate International Women's Day, 17 outstanding women were honoured yesterday, including Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Juthamas Siriwan, who won the award for Outstanding State Enterprise Executive.

In a related development, Bangkok Governor Apirak signed a memorandum of cooperation yesterday with women's organisations aimed at making Bangkok a safer place for women to live.

Municipal officials will initiate campaigns against domestic violence, set up a centre for family services and complaints in every district, and assign volunteers to keep watch on acts of violence perpetrated against women and children in communities, he said.

The governor also gave awards to 15 women for their outstanding work in helping develop the city.