On November 24, 2022, the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, joined the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, General Prayuth Chan-ocha’s delegation to visit Phetchabun Province on the occasion of presiding over the KICKOFF ceremony for measures to support and raise income for rice farmers in the 2022/23 harvest year. The measures aim to help rice farmers have an income and financial liquidity in spending, including providing opportunities for farmers to sell rice paddy at a higher price or a price suitable to production costs. The Phetchabun Provincial Governor, Mr. Krit Khongmuang, and heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Phetchabun Province, Phetchabun provincial labour volunteers and community members in the area also participated in the welcoming at the field in front of the Phetchabun City Hall, Sadiang Subdistrict, Mueang Phetchabun District, Phetchabun Province.
Mr. Suchart said that the government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha, gives importance to improving the quality of life of all worker groups. The workforce is considered an important part of driving the country’s economic and social development, especially over 22 million informal workers, including farmers, who are the majority of the country. Phetchabun Province has almost 200,000 informal workers who are skilled agricultural workers. The Ministry of Labour itself gives importance to improving the quality of life of all worker groups, especially informal workers such as motorcycle taxis, taxi drivers, hawker stalls, and self-employed workers, including farmers. The government has pushed for a bill to promote the Quality of Life Development and Protection for Informal Workers Act, B.E… The law above is under consideration by the Council of State. There is a fund for informal workers to use as a source of loans to have working capital for their careers, including public relations efforts to create awareness for informal workers to apply as insured persons under Section 40, which will give informal workers social security and a better quality of life.
On the same occasion, the Labour Minister met and encouraged labour volunteers at the subdistrict level and the labour volunteers network in Phetchabun Province, who attended the reception. Labour volunteers coordinate the Ministry of Labour’s mission to the community. They have sacrificed and devoted themselves to working closely with people in the community to coordinate labour services so that people have jobs, skills, occupations, and incomes, are protected and have sustainable social security.
Phetchabun Province has 484,779 workers, of which 483,360 are employed, 1,419 are unemployed, and 7,406 are waiting for the season. There are 283,934 informal workers and 117 volunteer workers. There are 2,459 establishments in the social security system and 353,822 insured persons. Most employment is in Mueang Phetchabun District and Bueng Sam Phan District. From implementing important policies, such as the employer remedial program for nine types of businesses affected by COVID-19, 1,290 employers received support amounting to 870,000 Baht. A total of 285,294 insured persons were supported with 1,398,365,000 Baht, resulting in money circulating in the economy of 1,402,235,000 million Baht. There was also the project to promote employment in SMEs, in which 1,660 employers participated, maintaining employment for 12,342 people, generating 107,721,000 Baht in the economy.
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Division of Public Relations
