On 22 November 2010, at 8pm, Mr. Monchai Patchanee, Minister of the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore, Mrs. Kanchana Wongsuwan, Minister Counselor (Labour), Mr. Nipon Petchpornprapas, Minister Counselor, Mr. Sakdina Sontisakyothin, Counselor (Labour), Ms. Pichayada Poomlaochaeng, Second Secretary, and Officials from Office of Labour Affairs in Singapore and the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore, went to visit Thai workers at Centurion Dormitory, which was located at 18 Toh Guan Road East#02-01 Westlite Dormitory Singapore 608591, Westlite Dormitory. It is a dormitory for foreign male worker.
At present, there are approximately 4,000 foreign workers living in the dormitory, a majority of who is Bangladesh. It is a 5-floor concrete building. A maximum of 10 workers with the same nationality is allocated to live in a room. Each room has a kitchen. Workers can choose to live in a room equipped with air-conditioning or a standard room equipped with a fan. It has facilities such as convenience store, and food stall. The building has tidy environment. It operates with full security service where each worker has an access card, which he uses to enter the room. At present there are approximately 135 Thai workers living there. All accommodation expense is paid by their employers (including electricity and water bills).
Office of Labour Affairs gave workers information about law of compensation for accidents at work and non-office hours contact, just in case any worker has an emergency labour problem. In this connection, Minister Counselor gave workers knowledge about sudden cardiac death; the cause, symptom, surveillance of people with risk factor for SCD, prevention, and how to provide first aid for people who appear to have SCD. He also warned workers to behave in compliance with dormitory’s regulation and Singapore’s laws whether it is about alcohol consumption, or littering. Furthermore, he campaigned workers and gave them knowledge about the danger of HIV and the buying of sexual services. Finally, Minister Counselor (Labour) informed Thai workers who are not members of Fund for Jon-Seekers Working Aboard about the benefits of the member of the Fund and told them to apply for a member when they go back to Thailand for a holiday.
