The Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, chaired the meeting to monitor the flood situation in the northern provinces via video conference. The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien, the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-General, Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, the Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Ms. Kornjirat Phongchansathorn, and related agencies attended the meeting at the Saengsingkaew Meeting Room, 5th floor, Ministry of Labour Building. The meeting included provincial labour officers and agencies under the Ministry of Labour in the northern provinces, namely Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Phayao, Lampang, Phrae, Nan, and Sukhothai, who reported the damage impacts from the flood and opened the 1506 hotline to provide assistance to flood victims of agencies under the Ministry of Labour in the area.
Mr. Phiphat said that today (September 12, 2024), after attending the parliamentary meeting to announce the Cabinet’s policy statement to the parliament, he immediately attended a meeting to follow up on the flood situation in the northern region with agencies under the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry of Labour is concerned about the victims, including all labour networks, labour volunteers, and labour graduates who are distributed in every subdistrict; they wish for everyone to be safe and overcome this crisis together. In terms of initial assistance, the Ministry of Labour has supported 90,000 bottles of drinking water and 500 relief bags and has arranged a team of technicians from the Department of Skill Development to provide repair services for houses, electrical appliances, motorcycles, and small agricultural engines damaged by the flood and to restore them after the water recedes. In addition, it has supported the delivery of six floating toilets to the provinces to help flood victims.
Mr. Phiphat continued that telephone communication is important and urged people to have a backup battery to stay in touch. For urgent assistance, he asked that agencies under the Ministry of Labour contact the Permanent Secretary of Labour directly. In addition to the Ministry of Labour’s officials in the northern provinces, there are labour volunteers and graduates in provinces that are not flooded, joining forces with the Ministry of Labour’s officials in the area to assist in the flooded areas.
“The flood situation in each northern province needs to be monitored, especially Nan, Phrae, Phayao, and Sukhothai, as the monsoon trough during the rainy season has not ended yet. Please closely monitor the situation from the Meteorological Department to see if there will be any more rain in the province. Please be vigilant and prepare as much as possible. As for the provinces requesting assistance with the budget to provide relief and rehabilitation in the project to solve occupational problems after the water recedes, we will see if it is possible to request the central budget. If not, we will have to ask for donations from various agencies. At the same time, please prepare sufficient consumer goods, rice, dried food, and drinking water,” said Mr. Phiphat.
The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien, said that the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, is concerned and offers encouragement to all civil servants and officials of the Ministry of Labour in the northern provinces who have been affected by the floods. This is to encourage them to perform their duties in taking care of the well-being of our fellow citizens, which is the intention of the Labour Minister, who held a teleconference with everyone. In addition, employees, employers, and citizens who have been affected by the floods and need assistance from the agencies under the Ministry of Labour can contact the Ministry of Labour’s hotline at 1506 for more information.
