On April 22, 2019, at 10.30 hours, Labour Minister, H.E. Police General Adul Sangsingkeo chaired the press conference for National Labour Day 2019. Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Jarin Chakkaphark, President of the Thai Trade Union Congress Mr. Tawee Techathirawat as chairman of the National Labour Day 2019 and the ministry’s senior executives also attended the meeting which took place at the Prasong Rananant conference room, 5th floor, Ministry of Labour. The Labor Minister said that the government realizes the importance of workers and has assigned the Ministry of Labour to implement various measures to protect and improve the quality of life of workers and families. In the past year, the Ministry of Labour has taken steps to prevent and resolve illegal labour practices and human trafficking to the extent that it has moved up ranks in human trafficking from the Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 2, and was unlocked from the yellow card status by the EU. Furthermore, Thailand was ranked highest in countering worst forms of child labour for the second consecutive year, it raised the level of 43,000 people to be Smart Workers, developed the recruitment system by establishing a Smart Job Center and introducing Job Boxes to facilitate job seekers which has had over 600,000 users and returned rights to insurers under Section 39 to 18,223 people.
Pol.Gen. Adul said that in addition, legislation had been improved to be comparable to international standards by ratifying the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention (P28), the Work in Fishing Convention (C188), issuing the Labour Protection Act (No. 6), B.E. 2562 and the emergency decree amending the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, B.E. 2551 and 2556 on forced labour which elevates the rights over 9.5 million workers. The Ministry of Labour has also published guidelines on good labour practices or (GLP) and Thai Labour Standards (TLS), which are comparable to international standards. Over 8,400 establishments have applied these to cover over 657,828 workers. Thai products have become recognized in the global market place and on April 11, 2019, the Ministry of Labour’s representatives, employee and employer representatives and representatives from the International Labour Organization signed the Thai valuable plan between 2019-2022 as the first issue, during the ILO’s 100th year celebrations, following the direction in creating valuable work in Thailand.
The Labour Minister discussed the demands from the National Labour Day last year, saying that the ministry has focused on the implementation of the claims and suggestions from the workers both in the amendment of the Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541 and the application of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, Section 64, which has already been implemented. For the adjustment of the pension base for cases where the insured does not meet the conditions of Section 33, the old wage base shall be used as a base for calculating the old age pension. Furthermore, legislation was enacted to protect, promote and improve the quality of informal workers, the International Labour Organization Convention issue 87 was certified, and there are pending claims whereby the Ministry of Labour has given to relevant agencies to study the feasibility and revise the law.
President of the Thai Trade Union Congress Mr. Tawee Techathirawat as chairman of the National Labour Day 2019 added that this year’s event is scheduled on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. The organizing committee from 15 groups from the Confederation of Thai Labour, the State Enterprises Workers Federation of Thailand and informal labour groups will run activities starting in the morning at 07.00 hours, with a religious ceremony at the Royal Thai Army Club on Vibhavadi Road. At 08.30 hours, the royal procession will commence to honour His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, whereby the Ministry of Labour will have a march, and workers will have a procession comprising 17 confederations, The parade will begin from the Army Stadium on Vibhavadi road to the Bangkok Youth Center (Thai-Japan) in Din Daeng. At 11.00 hours Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha will commence the opening ceremony and greet workers. The Prime Minister will then visit the exhibition of the agencies under the Ministry of Labour. The event will also have activities sharing knowledge about labour law, exhibits and quizzes at the Social Security Office’s booth. At 13.00 – 17.00 hours there will be performances by singers and artists. The opening ceremony will be broadcasted live on NBT.
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Division of Public Relations/
Photos by Sompob Silbut/
Information by Department of Labour Protection and Welfare/
22 April 2019/
