People want to get back to work

Flood evacuees are calling on the government to help them to start their lives again. 

They want to return to work as soon as possible, but still have no idea if their employers would let them do so. As a result, they want the government to discuss with businesses about guaranteeing their employment.

The flood victims have requested occupational training and compensation to rebuild their lives following the floods that have swept away their jobs and valuables.

The Nation yesterday talked to Sakuna Suriwongsa, 19, Thewee Chompom, 27, and Sakda Khun-ngiew, 26. The three had been evacuated from a submerged shelter inside Thammasat University, Rangsit campus to Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok.

They said they wanted to start working again but did not know if their employers would re-hire them.

Thewee is a bus conductor and her husband is a bus driver. Both had worked for a private bus firm in Pathum Thani for six months. Together with their three children and her mother, they were evacuated from their flooded homes two weeks ago.

“We don’t know if our employer will hire us,” Thewee said. “The only thing we want is that the government ensures we can return to the same job.”

Prior to the flooding, Sakuna worked in a toy factory inside the Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate and was enrolled for college study.

“The factory has been damaged by floods. The employer has said he will allow me to work there again, but I’m not sure when it will be able to resume operations. My job is insecure,” she said.

Sakuna said she had thoughts of taking up an additional job while waiting for the flood waters to recede. Occupational training would be a good idea: “It will help me and other evacuees ease our stress and we will have more skills and opportunities to earn money.”

Sakda, a worker at a sling and wire factory, an inundated business at the same industrial estate, said he was not sure if the factory would reopen in under three months. He decided to apply to three new factories in Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Rayong when officers from the Employment Department met him while taking shelter at Thammasat and suggested the vacant positions to him. 

Sakda has not been paid, even though his wage was scheduled for transfer into his bank account on October 20. His belongings in his dormitory have gone under water. He does not have enough money to travel to any of those new factories, so he decided to move to the shelter at the stadium.

“Though the new factories provided me jobs, I cannot travel there as I don’t have enough money. It would be good if the government gave each flood-affected worker Bt4,000-Bt5,000 to start their lives again. I would then be able to start working immediately,” he added.

Kanokphan Julkasem, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said yesterday about 2,000 evacuees would be taking shelter at the stadium.

TU has taken care of up to 3,800 evacuees and the stadium can help around 2,000 more, Decha Saweastsirorat, director of business and beverages department of SAT, said. Those who did not want to go back home could be sent to Supacharasai National Stadium in Bangkok, or other places in Chon Buri.

Decha said doctors and nurses had been stationed at the Rajamangala Stadium to screen people who are sick before separating them from other evacuees. Psychologists and health volunteers have also been recruited to give advice on easing stress and providing first aid.

TU deputy president Asst Prof Prinya Thaewanarumitkul said some evacuees at Thammasat, whose homes were near the university, refused to move as the campus was the most convenient place for them to return home to check their belongings. He insisted that tap water and electricity would be available for them to use during their stay at Thammasat.