On May 10, 2024, the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, spoke about the case of a chemical storage tank explosion and fire in Rayong Province yesterday (May 9, 2024), causing the injuries and death of an employee. He expressed his condolences to the family of the employee who died and sent encouragement to the injured people to recover quickly. He said that the Ministry of Labour is concerned about all workers. He received a report about the case from the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien. He has instructed the Rayong Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office and the Social Security Office to visit the area to investigate the facts and the status of the injured victims and deceased employees and to urgently assist and support benefits that they are entitled to according to the law.
Mr. Phiphat added that the Rayong Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office’s report found that the said incident occurred yesterday (May 9, 2024) at 10.45 hours. There was an explosion and fire at a tank containing petrochemicals at Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Company Limited, Rayong Branch, in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Mueang District. Rayong Province. The company operates an oil storage warehouse service and employs 150 employees. In this incident, four employees were injured, and one died. The Rayong Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office’s report also found that the relevant laws include the Occupational Health, Safety, and Work Environment Act B.E. 2554 and the ministerial regulation that sets standards for the administration, management, and operation of occupational health and safety. From this incident, the safety inspector will investigate the facts and issues related to the said law.
“I would like to express my condolences to the families of the workers who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery for the injured. In terms of providing relief, agencies under the Ministry of Labour, especially the Social Security Office, have been instructed to take care of the benefits of insured persons that they should receive according to law to build morale, including understanding about providing relief to relatives. Therefore, please be assured that the Ministry of Labour will provide protection and care to all workers who experienced injuries and died from carrying out their work duties,” Mr. Phiphat said.
The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien, said that in terms of the Ministry of Labour’s support, he has received a report from the Secretary-General of the Social Security Office that the Rayong Provincial Social Security Office has investigated this incident. One employee died, a male, 35 years old, an employee of Map Ta Phut Tank Company. He died at the Bangkok Rayong Hospital. The other four injured people were all male. Three are still being treated in the ICU at Bangkok Rayong Hospital, and one at Chaloem Phrakiat Somdet Phrathep Hospital. The first case is a 30-year-old employee of Map Ta Phut Tank Company. They had symptoms of fatigue due to smoke inhalation and were treated in her room. The second was a 22-year-old employee of Vertex Services Company. They had burns covering 12 percent of their body. The third person was a 26-year-old employee of Vertex Service Company, and the fourth person was a 23-year-old employee of Kong Pattana Company, with burn wounds covering 50 percent of their body.
Mr. Pairoj continued that he received a report from the Social Security Office’s Secretary-General, Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, on the evening of May 9, 2024, that he had assigned the Social Security Office’s Inspector-General, Mr. Krittaphat Krutakul, to visit Bangkok Rayong Hospital along with officials from the Rayong Provincial Social Security Office. They visited the employees and shared words of encouragement from the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, and the relatives of the injured and deceased. They also explained the benefits of the Compensation Fund to the insured persons, with support to the best of their abilities. For employees who have died in the case of work, their beneficiaries will have the right to receive compensation from the Compensation Fund, including funeral expenses paid to the funeral director at 50,000 Baht, compensation in the case of death for 120 months, paid monthly at 14,000 Baht, for a total of 1,680,000 Baht, and old-age pension of 110,039.50 BAht (not including interest), totaling 1,840,039.50 Baht. The four injured employees are entitled to receive money from the Compensation Fund for the medical expenses as much as actually paid, not exceeding the rate specified by law. Compensation in case of time off is 70 percent of monthly wages for no more than one year.
Relatives of the deceased and injured employees can ask for more details at the Rayong Social Security Office or call the Ministry of Labour’s hotline on 1506, press 1 for the Social Security Office.
