#LaborRights

A wave of recent science highlights a troubling link between long work hours and brain changes. A multicenter study led by researchers in Asia found that people clocking more than 52 hours weekly showed notable alterations in brain regions tied to memory, decision-making, and emotional control. While the research sparked global discussions, it carries particular relevance for Thailand’s evolving labor market and rising demands on workers.

Data from the Thai workforce shows Bangkok consistently ranks as a city with high working hours, and nearly one in six employees report working more than 48 hours per week. This new evidence suggests that sustained overwork could contribute to cognitive and emotional challenges well beyond fatigue, underscoring the need for workplace and public health strategies in Thailand.

A flurry of new scientific findings has revealed that the stress of working long hours doesn’t just leave people feeling exhausted—it may actually alter the structure of the human brain. According to a major study led by researchers from South Korea and published in May 2025, individuals clocking more than 52 hours a week exhibited significant physical changes in brain regions tied to memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation, sparking fresh concerns about the risks of overwork worldwide—including in Thailand’s increasingly demanding labor market (The Times; CNN; Newsweek).

British fathers are organizing the world’s first “Dad strike” to demand broader, better-paid paternity leave. The protest outside the Department for Business and Trade in London on June 11 aims to press the government for reforms that support dads and non-birthing partners. The movement underscores the growing recognition of fathers’ essential role in early childhood and the ongoing work-life balance debate.

For Thai readers, the issues resonate with Thailand’s own family policy debates and evolving family structures. In the UK, eligible fathers and non-birthing partners currently receive only two weeks of leave at a rate below the minimum wage, and self-employed co-parents receive no state support. In contrast, mothers can receive up to 90% of their average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, followed by a fixed rate for the next 33 weeks. Campaigners say these gaps reinforce gender inequality and limit children’s access to parental care. Research cited by advocates emphasizes the broader social costs of insufficient paternity support.