On July 12, 2021, the Ministry of Labour’s Spokesperson (on politics), Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat, spoke about the case where Mr. Chaiwat Wannakot, Secretariat and subcommittee member on the study of labour welfare, protection, and relations, wrote an article which was a compilation of information on workers’ compensation following the worker’s camp closure order. It stated that the workers’ camps are closed for 14 days, affecting 700,000 people who have not received compensation, and have not been cared for in terms of food. In this regard, she clarified that the Ministry of Labour’s Social Security Office had paid compensation from force majeure due to COVID-19, at 50 percent of the wages to employees in 4 types of businesses, namely 1) Construction business. 2) Hotel and food services. 3) Entertainment and recreational arts, and 4) Other businesses that are non-construction businesses. The Social Security Office has paid unemployment benefits in case of force majeure due to COVID-19 to employees under 17,920 businesses, amounting to 87,631,033.80 Baht (as of July 12, 2021). This comprises 16,468 construction businesses, amounting to 79,801,420.45 Baht. The rest are 1,452 restaurants, totaling 7,829,613.35 Baht. The Social Security Office will cut payments every Friday and pay the employees every Monday. The workers in the construction business are paid in cash. The rest of the businesses will be paid through transfer directly to the employee’s account.
In the case of employees who have not received money, the Social Security Office requests to expedite the following actions: 1) Have the employer certify the number of employees in the e-service system, stating from what day until when. 2) The employee submits the Sor.Por.Sor 2-01/7 form to employers, to be forwarded to the Social Security Office, to allow the Social Security Office to consider the payment as soon as possible.
As for food in the construction worker camps, the Ministry of Labour has asked employers to provide three food meals for all workers. The Ministry of Labour will support consumer goods such as rice, drinking water, chicken eggs, and canned fish, donated by the private sector, delivering it to the Thai Contractors Association under H.M. The King’s Patronage. It is the center of food distribution to camp workers. This is a supplementary measure that the Ministry of Labour asks employers for cooperation in the workplace to help alleviate workers’ suffering and food expenses.
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Division of Public Relations
12 July 2021
