Ministry wants Bt1.5bn to create jobs in crisis-hit tourism provinces
Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting will be asked to approve a Bt1.5-billion budget to hire 18,000 labourers in six Andaman provinces, said Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin.
The move is aimed at mitigating the severe impact of Covid-19 on the region’s tourism sector.
The Labour and Interior ministries will operate jointly to recruit the labourers to work on public projects. The funding will come from the existing Bt400-billion economic revival budget.
Of the 18,000 jobs, 8,000 will be created in Phuket, with 2,000 in each of the five other Andaman provinces. Workers will be hired for 10 months on a daily wage of Bt330-340.
Suchart has also instructed the ministry to consider extending the cut in social insurance contributions by employees and employers. The rate cut from 5 per cent to 2 per cent is due to expire at the end of this month.
