Labour minister urged to compensate all who are out of a job
In a Facebook post on Thursday (April 9), Katerut Laothamatas, spokesman for the Action Coalition for Thailand Party, called on Labour Minister Chatu Mongkol Sonakul to urgently consider compensating the employees of businesses that have been ordered to close in line with moves to control the spread of Covid-19.
He said they can be compensated under Section 33 of the Social Security Act.
“The party’s board and MPs unanimously agreed in a meeting on April 7 that the Labour Ministry should help all employees, regardless of the type of business, who were affected either by shutdown orders from the government or by the business owner’s decision,” he said.
“Everybody who comes under Section 33 [employees with regular income] must be compensated 62 per cent of their daily wages, based on a maximum monthly salary of Bt15,000, for a maximum of 90 days.”
On Wednesday, the Cabinet okayed the abovementioned compensation, but only for employees of hotel and lodging businesses that have been forced to shut down. However, Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn later promised to extend this compensation to people working as tour guides and in other tourism-related businesses.
“As party spokesman, I insist that the Action Coalition for Thailand Party is committed to helping all workers, regardless of the business,” Katerut said. “Many people have lost their jobs due to the effects of Covid-19 related lockdown and we must ensure they are not abandoned at this time of need.”
The labour minister hails from the Action Coalition for Thailand Party.