On October 21, 2022, the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, spoke about the current flood crisis that has affected people’s way of life in many areas. The Ministry of Labour is aware and concerned for the well-being and hygiene of the people. Today, the Ministry of Labour organized volunteer activities to donate survival bags to help flood victims. The Labour Minister assigned the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, to lead the Ministry of Labour’s volunteers to visit the area to support and donate relief bags to flood victims in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The Advisory Board Member to the Labour Minister, Ms. Amphan Tuwwit, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, local government organizations, and relevant agencies in the area also participated in the activities. The first point was at Wat Sop Sawan, Pho Sam Ton Subdistrict, Bang Pahan District, and the second was at the Village Community Hall, Moo 1, Plaiklat Subdistrict, Bang Sai District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
Mr. Boonchob said that the Ministry of Labour cares about the people who have been affected by the flooding and has assigned agencies in the area to work together to support flood victims. 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. Boonchob continued that Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province has announced flood-affected areas in fifteen districts: Sena, Phak Hai, Bang Ban, Bang Sai, Bang Pa-in, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bang Pahan, Port Nakhon Luang, Maharat, Uthai, Wang Noi, Phachi, Ban Phraek, and Bang Sai. People have suffered in 160 subdistricts and 1,047 villages, affecting 78,073 households. The Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Institute of Skill Development 15 has set up a center to help affected people repair services for motorcycles, electrical appliances, and small agricultural tools. They have also supported the construction of floating restrooms to provide initial alleviation to the victims and the preparation of food boxes to distribute to people in homes affected by the flood. Today, the Ministry of Labour has organized volunteer activities in distributing survival bags, rice, dry foods, drinking water, and necessary consumables to help flood victims in the area. 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
21 October 2022
