On December 3, 2021, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported on discussions with Ms. Sunthalak Petchrakul, a consultant on policy and plans from the NESDC and representative of the nighttime workers, led by Mr. Thanes Sukwat, a representative of musicians and concert organizers, and Mr. Worapoj Nimwichit, representative of concert event organizers from the Professional Entertainment Network Confederation of Thailand. They discussed ways to remedy singers, musicians, actors, and entrepreneurs of entertainment venues, clubs, pubs, and bars affected by COVID-19. The Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, and the Ministry of Labour’s executives joined the occasion.
Mr. Suchart spoke about the guidelines on support divided into three groups. For the first group, employers must register for the SME project (program to promote and maintain employment levels) for one month to help this group of employers for three months, without tax. For group two, employees in the social security system will offer social security to heal unemployment from force majeure, paying 50 percent and another 5,000 Baht from the government (Section 33 We Love Each Other). The third group, employees not in the social security system, will receive compensation from the government using government loans but must be certified by the association/confederation. After checking the numbers in the system nationwide, there are an estimated no more than 1150,000 people. The effort will require a loan from the government to provide remedies of about 750 million Baht. For people over 65 who do not fall under Section 40 of the social security, the Ministry of Labour will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture to survey the numbers to provide further remedies.
“The Prime Minister is concerned and focused on helping working people in all fields of occupation affected by COVID-19, especially singers, musicians, and related professions. The Ministry of Labour will expedite the remedies of those affected, including entrepreneurs and employees of these groups, so that all groups receive support urgently according to the government’s policy on not leaving anyone behind,” concluded Mr. Suchart.
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Division of Public Relations
3 December 2021
