On August 5, 2022, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin spoke about the fire at an entertainment establishment (MOUNTAIN B) at about 01.00 hours last night. The establishment is located at the edge of Sukhumvit Road, Bangna-Trad Moo 7, Phlu Ta Luang Subdistrict, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province. As soon as the news was received, the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha, and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, expressed their concern about the incident and instructed the Ministry of Labour to urgently investigate the facts and provide immediate assistance to affected employees and employers. Today, he assigned Assistant to the Labour Minister, Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare’s Inspector-General Mr. Somphot Kwangkaew, to lead a special team to investigate accidents or dangers encountered at work in severe cases. They visited the Work Safety Center Area 2 in Chonburi, and agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Chonburi Province were assigned to investigate the facts and find out the cause of the incident, to check whether there was a violation or non-compliance with the Safety Act Occupational Health and Work Environment B.E. 2554 and related ministerial regulations. If violations or improper conduct are found, it proceeds with the steps of the law. From a preliminary investigation, 13 deaths were identified, including nine males and four females, all at Sattahip Hospital. Currently, eight bodies have been identified.
Mr. Suchart continued that the Ministry of Labour has sent officials in the Chonburi Province to set up a public service unit with the Incident Command Center of Sattahip Municipality at the scene of the accident to wait for the coordination and facilitation according to the mission of each agency. As for the assistance concerning the benefits and protection under the law, from checking the information of all 13 deaths, it was found that two are currently insured persons. The first is Mr. Surakan Ruangrit, who is insured under Section 33. He is a Thai employee of Summit Harness Company in Chonburi Province. The dependents will be entitled to an old-age pension of 99,115.89 Baht, compensation in the case of death of 71,322 Baht, and funeral expenses of 50,000 Baht, totaling approximately 220,437.89 Baht. In the second case, Mr. Chatchai Chuenkha is an insured person under Section 33, an employee of Ken Auto Parts Company in Rayong Province. The dependents are entitled to an old-age pension of 27,978.45 Baht, compensation in the event of death of 24,000 Baht, and funeral expenses of 50,000 Baht, for a total of 101,978.45 Baht. Three deceased persons used to be insured persons. The first, Mr. Warakul Chamras, was insured under Section 33. Dependents will be entitled to an old-age pension of 7,672.92 Baht, totaling approximately 7,672.92 Baht. The second person was Mr. Wiriya Tangsangga, who used to be insured under Section 33 and Section 40. Dependents will be entitled to receive an old-age pension under Section 33 in the amount of 24,410.50 Baht and an old-age person under Section 40 of 300.96 Baht, totaling approximately 24,711.46 Baht. For the third case, Ms. Nantiya Chantha, who later changed her name to Ms. Switta Chantha, the dependents will be entitled to receive an old-age pension under Section 33 of 10,175.84 Baht and an old-age pension under Section 40 of 100.60 Baht, totaling approximately 10,276.44 Baht.
After visiting the area, Assistant to the Labour Minister, Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, and the committee visited the area to support the injured people hospitalized at Queen Sirikit Hospital. A total of 17 injured people were admitted here, 9 of whom are the general public and eight insured persons. Five people have been allowed to go home by doctors, and the remaining three are still in the hospital. For the injured insured, the Chonburi Social Security Office has informed the insured persons and their relatives of the benefits, regarding the right to receive medical expenses that on the actual expense until the end of the treatment and compensation from the Social Security Office to take time off for treatment as ordered by the doctor, so that the insured persons receive further assistance according to their entitlements.
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Division of Public Relations
