Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour Police General Adul Saengsingkeaw and committee visited Ang Thong to listen to issues experienced by companies and the people impacted by Covid-19, monitoring the Model Farm Employment Project and visiting model companies with good employee relations systems.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour Police General Adul Saengsingkeaw said that today (July 10, 2020), the Labour Committee of the Senate, top executives of the Ministry of Labour and Permanent Secretary of Labour joined the visit to Ang Thong province to listen to the problems of people and companies in the area affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. They followed up on past operations by government agencies to solve problems and alleviate the suffering of entrepreneurs and people, including the planning of operations after the Covid-19 outbreak. The party travelled to 2 areas. The first was a visit to the Model Farm Project initiated by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit in Si Bua Thong, Sawaeng Ha, Ang Thong at the Royal Volunteer Center together in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and relevant agencies, carrying out activities to resolve professional occupational problems as according to “The COVID-19 Resistant Farm Project Model”.
The project had 50 participants, with the objective to help unemployed people from the effects of COVID-19 to have a job and income to support themselves and their families. Participants work on the farm for 8 hours a day, for a duration of 60 days with holidays on every Sunday. The compensation is 300 Baht per day per person, whereby the program started on May 4 to July 13, 2020. Tasks include digging canals, covering the soil with straw, digging around trees, planting vegetables, making bamboo bridges, animal house and bio-fertilizer for example. For the people who participated in the project, in addition to getting a job, a career, and income, they can apply their knowledge of new agriculture theories to further their career. It is a royal grace to the Thai people, from His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen for granting the model farm area under the royal initiative to implement this project.
Police General Adul Saengsingkeaw went on to say that the second area for visit was the Thai Rayon Public Company Limited, a synthetic and natural fiber manufacturing facility. Covid-19 resulted in decreased purchase orders, making the company slow down production capacity. Currently, there are 932 employees. The Ministry of Labour’s Ang Thong Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office uses the labour relations system to provide knowledge by being a mentor. The company used Section 75 under the Labour Protection Act B.E. 2545, by switching 100 employees at a time, to stop work for 7-15 days. This is a good example a company, in line with the government’s policy to maintain employment conditions for as long as possible. When the Covid-19 situation begins to improve, employees can return to work as usual.
Police General Adul said that Ang Thong province has 503 insurers applying for unemployment rights due to force majeure. Five companies used Section 75, totaling 1,332 employees. From listening to problems in labour areas where the Covid-19 situation is improving, the government will take initiatives in various areas so that those affected by Covid-19 have a job. They will provide job searching services and up skill/re skill training in order to have more skills following the needs of entrepreneurs, and have more security in life.
