The Labour Minister presented over 1.3 million Baht from social security benefits to the relatives of the deceased worker from the Arun Amarin bell tower collapse, and prompted employers to comply with the law.
On October 3, 2018, Labour Minister H.E. Police General Adul Sangsingkeo handed over the contributions to the beneficiaries of Mr. Suriyan Saithong, 46 years old, at the Nikom Chandravithun conference room on the 5th floor of the Ministry of Labour. Mr. Suriyan was an employee who died from the collapse of the old pagoda inside Wat Phraya Tham on Soi Arun Amarin 15, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, where scrap material fell on workers during maintenance work on September 25. The beneficiaries of the decreased will be entitled to compensation which comprises a funeral allowance of 33,000 Baht, compensation for death of 1,152,000 Baht and pension contributions of 211,299.89 Baht, totaling 1,396,299.89 Baht.
Pol.Gen. Adul spoke about progress of the investigation on October 2, 2018 conducted by the Labour Protection and Welfare Office Bangkok Area 6 (LPWO.6) in coordination with the Occupational Safety and Health Office Area 11. He explained that the completed investigation concluded the employer, Finess Soil Testing Co., Ltd., assigned employees to work in conditions at risk of causing harm to their lives and did not provide manuals or procedures to employees to acknowledge beforehand. In the event of the employee’s death, the employer must organize the funeral, compensate the family of 200,000 Baht in remedies and employ 2 of the deceased workers’ sons. As for the 10 injured workers, 4 critically injured workers are currently being treated at Siriraj Hospital. The employer has paid for the treatment expenses for all employees and has already paid 200,000 Baht in medical expenses and 3,000 – 30,000 Baht in remedies to each of the workers, totaling around 165,000 Baht. The construction company, Priyakij Co., Ltd., has assisted the deceased’s family with 100,000 Baht and remedies for all workers ranging from 3,000-30,000 Baht each, totaling 265,000 Baht.
LPWO.6 has determined that the employer and construction company, also considered an employer according to Section 4 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act, violated Section 14 as the employer assigned employees to work in conditions at risk of causing physical, mental or health related harm, and did not inform the employees of the potential harm that could occur, nor did the employer provide manuals or procedures to employees to acknowledge beforehand. This was the direct cause of the accident which resulted in the injury and death of employees, and thus the penalty under Section 57 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act B.E. 2554 applies, comprising a maximum fine of 50,000 Baht. The employer will continue to be prosecuted, whereas other offenses will be assigned to a security inspector to issue an order for the employer to continue operations.
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Division of Public Relations
News by Chaninthorn Phettab
Photos by Sompob Silbut
Information by Social Security Office and Department of Labour Protection and Welfare
3 October 2018
