On January 24, 2025, at 09.00 hours, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Labour, showed concern for workers being laid off and urged agencies under the Ministry of Labour to support affected workers to enable them to continue their livelihood after being laid off and to monitor the mass layoffs of companies, so that if layoffs occur, they can provide timely assistance and compensation to employees. The Labour Minister assigned Mr. Aree Krainara, the Secretariat to the Labour Minister, to present welfare compensation from the Employee Welfare Fund and unemployment benefits to employees of Yarnapund Company Limited (Public Company). Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Lieutenant Commander Saroj Khomkhai, the Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, executives of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the Social Security Office, the Department of Employment, employee representatives of Yarnapund Company Limited (Public Company), the Chairman of the Council, Advisors and the Executive Board of the Automotive Labour Organization Council of Thailand, joined the occasion at the Labour Relations Committee Meeting Room, 1st Floor, Ministry of Labour.
Mr. Aree Krainara, the Secretariat to the Labour Minister, said that Yarnapund Company Limited (Public Company), a major automotive parts manufacturer, announced the termination of 859 employees on November 26, 2024, without paying the employees’ benefits according to the law. This caused the employees and their families to suffer. A group of employees gathered to submit a letter of assistance to the Prime Minister at Government House on January 9.
Today, the Ministry of Labour, through the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, has paid employees 6,940,560 Baht from the Employee Welfare Fund, and the Social Security Office has paid 32,056,017.74 Baht in unemployment and other benefits to employees, totaling 38,996,577.74 Baht. Each employee will receive approximately 70,000 Baht, which can help alleviate the employees’ hardship while they are looking for work. In addition, the Ministry of Labour, through the Department of Employment, has provided vacancies to employees, with 81 employees now employed. The Department of Skill Development has also provided vocational training to employees. Regarding the progress of the criminal case against the employer, after the Samut Prakan Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office received the employees’ complaints, an investigation officer followed up on December 25, 2024. The investigation officer at Bang Kaew Police Station, Samut Prakan Province, issued a summons for the employer to come to court on January 23, 2025. In addition to the support from the Ministry of Labour, The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare coordinated with relevant agencies to check other benefits that employees are entitled to, according to the missions of each agency, such as the Provincial Industrial Office, the Provincial Commerce Office, and the Provincial Revenue Office.
“Please have confidence in the work of the Ministry of Labour under the leadership of Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Labour, in helping our fellow workers, who are the main force driving the country’s economy to be stable,” said Mr. Aree.