On October 13, 2022, the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, joined the delegation of the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, to visit the area, to monitor and resolve flooding issues for the people and establishments in Wat Saeng Siritham, Tha It Subdistrict, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi Province. Provincial governors, heads of government agencies involved, labour volunteers, and community members in the area welcomed the delegation.
Mr. Suchart said that Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, is concerned about the people affected by the floods. Therefore, all government agencies were instructed to work together to support flood victims. The Labour Minister has instructed the Ministry of Labour’s five agencies in every province to accelerate support with the province. The Provincial Offices/Institutes of Skill Development have supported vehicles transporting people whose houses were flooded to temporary shelters and deployed technicians to take care of the people and the relevant agencies. They have set up a tent to provide repair services for motorcycles, electrical appliances, and small agricultural engines to reduce the cost to people whose electrical equipment was damaged by the flood. Support staff have prepared food to distribute to people in shelters and affected homes and have worked with local agencies to construct floating restrooms. The Provincial Employment Offices have prepared survival bags for affected people to offer initial alleviation. The Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Offices have issued letters requesting cooperation from employers to allow employees affected by the flooding and unable to come to work to take time off without being considered as leave or an offense against the work regulations. The Social Security Office has supported Section 33 insured persons in flooded establishments, and employees cannot go to work. Such insured persons will receive compensation from force majeure at 50 percent of wages.
Mr. Suchart continued that Nonthaburi Province has announced flood-affected areas in five districts: Mueang, Pak Kret, Bang Bua Thong, Bang Kruai, and Bang Yai Districts. People have suffered in two city municipalities, three town municipalities, three subdistrict municipalities, 42 subdistricts, 268 villages, and 110,562 households. One person, who was a bedridden patient, has died. The Nonthaburi Institute of Skill Development has set up a center to help affected people with repair services for motorcycles, electrical appliances, and small agricultural engines. Labour volunteers have visited the area to survey the needs of people/business establishments after the flood, including employers/business owners, about the impact of the flood. The survey found that no business establishment has been affected by temporarily stopping their business, and there were no reports of injured people being hospitalized under social security rights. They have also coordinated to request support for food, drinking water, and consumer products prepared food boxes to distribute to people in homes affected by the flood and supported the construction of floating restrooms to provide initial alleviation to the victims. People, employers, employees, and insured persons who have been affected by the flood in each area and need support from the Ministry of Labour’s agencies, can contact the Ministry of Labour’s 1506 hotline.
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Division of Public Relations
13 October 2022
