Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported that the Prime Minister is concerned about Thai workers who died and were injured from the blasts in Israel and instructed the immediate support for legally entitled benefits.
On May 19, 2021, on the 5th floor, Ministry of Labour, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported that from the unrest between Israel and Palestine, attacks were carried out by Hamas at Ohad in Eshkol, 14 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. The Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased Thai workers and cared for those injured by the blast. The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Labour to expedite assistance to the relatives and families of Thai workers who have died and been injured and provide immediate assistance for legal benefit entitlements to the families of the deceased and injured. The report from the Labour Department at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv received information from Mr. Eyal Siso, Deputy Director-General, Department of Consular Affairs, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The report said that there was a rocket attack by Hamas at Ohad in Eshkol, about 14 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 18 at 14.35 hours. The explosion caused the death of two Thai workers, serious injury for one, and minor injuries for seven other workers. The two Thai workers who died were identified as 1) Mr. Weerawat Karanborirak, 44, a resident of Phetchabun, and 2) Mr. Sikharin Sangram, 24, a resident of Buriram. The Thai worker who was severely injured and received surgery in a hospital was Mr. Atthachai Thamkaew, 28, a resident from Ubon Ratchathani. In addition, seven others were injured, as follows: 1) Mr. Narongsak Rodchompoo, 32, a resident from Udon Thani. 2) Mr. Chettha Phalapom, 40, a resident of Udon Thani. 3) Mr. Thanadol Khanthachai, 26, a resident from Udon Thani. 4) Mr. Preecha Sae-Li, 32, a resident of Chiang Rai. 5) Mr. Somsak Janpakdee, 26, a resident of Surin. 6) Ms. Jarasri Klakhang, 39, a resident of Nong Khai, and 7) Mr. Chakri Rattaphon, 31, a Nong Bua Lam Phu resident.
Mr. Suchart spoke about the assistance to the injured and deceased Thai workers, where payments will be made from the Israeli National Insurance Institute. In the event of injury or disability, workers will be compensated as follows: For injuries or handicaps by 0-10%, workers will not receive compensation on top of wages during the time that they cannot work due to their injury. For injuries or handicaps by 10-19%, workers will receive a one-time payment not exceeding 150,000 Shekels (approximately 1,500,000 Baht). For injuries or handicaps by over 20%, workers will receive monthly compensation every month until death, calculated from the percentage loss. If the loss is 100%, workers will receive approximately 6,000 Shekels per month (approximately 60,000 Baht). In the event of death, the wife and child of the deceased will receive monthly allowances until the wife remarries or the child is 18 years old. The wife will receive approximately 60% of the 6,000 Shekels monthly (approximately 36,000 Baht), and the child will receive approximately 10-20% of the 6,000 Shekels monthly (approximately 6,000 – 12,000 Baht). Furthermore, workers will receive benefits from the fund to help job seekers work abroad in the event of being injured abroad. The benefits will cover medical expenses as actually paid, up to 30,000 Baht per person. In the event of a member’s death in a foreign country, the families will receive 80,000 Baht, divided into an initial allowance of 40,000 Baht, and coverage of actual expenses for managing the funeral, not exceeding 40,000 Baht.
Currently, Thailand is allocated a quota of 5,099 Thai workers to work in the agricultural sector of Israel; 3,100 have already traveled for work. The State of Israel sends chartered planes to pick up workers every Thursday at 9.00 am. Approximately 250 people travel to work in Israel every week. The cost of the round-trip airfare and other expenses is approximately 50,000 Baht per person. The employment contract is for three years, which can be extended for another two years, for a total of 5 years. The average income is around 45,000 – 50,000 Baht per month. The Labour Minister instructed that Thai workers not be dispatched to work in areas that are dangerous to Thai workers and ordered the Thai Labour Department at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv to care for Thai people working there closely.
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Division of Public Relations
19 May 2021
