The Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) met with Labour Minister M.R. Chatumongol Sonakul to acknowledge labour policies and submit a proposal on social security and minimum wage adjustments. The Labour Minister revealed that the minimum wage must be sufficient to study the details thoroughly.
On August 1, 2019, Labour Minister M.R. Chatumongol Sonakul welcomed Mr. Somporn Khwanate, Chairman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and committee, who requested to meet to acknowledge labour policies on social security issues, minimum wage adjustment, employment in Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), assistance for dismissed employees’, rights of women and young workers, and protection of informal workers. Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Suthi Sukosol also joined the welcoming and participated in this event, which took place at the Labour Minister’s room, 6th floor, Ministry of Labour. The TLSC requested the government to appoint a new Social Security Committee to replace to the previous committee which resigned, as an urgent action, by electing 50 representatives from insured organizations to 1 voice. The request outlined a reform of management structure within the Social Security Office to be an independent organization, paying contributions to the Social Security Fund in the same proportion between the employer and the employee according to the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 and that the government pays the full amount. It asked that the Social Security Office announce all statutes that follow the Social Security Act, Amendment B.E. 2558, requesting to increase benefits of the insured persons, including benefits of insurers under Section 40 and Section 39, to receive the same benefits as Section 33. It also asked to add benefits in case old age to 50 percent of the final salary of being an insured person, extend the time frame and the ceiling of treatment for both the compensation and social security fund until the end of treatment and cover all diseases except for plastic surgery. Furthermore, requests asked to increase benefits for childcare from 600 Baht to 1,000 Baht and extend the age from 6 years to 10 years. In the case of sending contributions for 15 years, insurers should receive life-long medical rights, and stretch the retirement age from 55 to 60 years according to the Labour Protection Act, whereby the insurer must receive pension funds according to the original rights from 55 to 60 years which should be voluntary or according to the agreed options. In addition, it requested that obtaining rights under the Social Security Act must not disqualify rights according to other laws.
The Chairman of the TLSC also submitted urgent proposals on social security issues and minimum wage adjustments to the Labour Minister. The Labour Minister then met and gave words of encouragement to the TLSC members at the Office of the Labor Relations Committee meeting room, ground floor, Ministry of Labour, to understand the proposal. The Labour Minister said that the minimum wage rate would be considered as step-by-step by the wage committee which has three representatives, namely employers, employees and the governments, with the Permanent Secretary of Labour as chairman. The committee will now have to spend some time studying the details from other factors too, which must create understanding with those involved to assess the advantages and disadvantages.
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Division of Public Relations/
News by Chaninthorn Phettab/
Photos by Sompob Silbut/
1 August 2019
