Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin joined a meeting with the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CSA) Committee. He reported that the meeting acknowledged measures to mitigate and help insured persons affected by Covid-19, reducing contributions among employers and insured employees to 3% for three months (January to March 2020) and pay 50% of wages in compensation for unemployment from force majeure up to 90 days.
On December 24, 2020, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin attended the meeting of the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CSA) Committee at the Santi Maitri Building, behind the Government Houses. Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha chaired the meeting, and representatives of relevant agencies attended. The meeting reported the pandemic and infected persons’ situation and public health measures in response to the outbreaks in Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bangkok, and along the border. The meeting also reported the progress on the development and production of the Covid-19 vaccine, preventing the spread of Covid-19 in Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bangkok, and border provides and measures in organizing activities during the New Year and the National Children’s Day in 2021. The Ministry of Labour has measures to mitigate and assist insured persons affected by the pandemic and measures and guidelines for using applications to support the spread of Covid-19. The meeting also had agendas to consider, including the appropriateness of the New Year 2021 celebrations, Children’s Day, and suitability for hosting the international badminton tournament.
The Ministry of Labour’s measures to mitigate and assist insured persons affected by the Code-19 pandemic include reducing employer and insured person contributions under Section 33 to 3 percent and insured persons under Section 39 reduced to 278 Baht for a period of 3 months (from January to March 2021). The measures will assist employers and insured persons who are still affected by the economic situation, helping alleviate the cost to employers and insured persons the payment of contributions totaling 15,660 million Baht.
In addition, the Cabinet has also approved a draft Ministerial Regulation on benefits for unemployment in the event of force majeure resulting from the outbreak of dangerous communicable diseases under the Communicable Disease Act B.E.…., as proposed by the Ministry of Labour. The essence of the regulation ensures insured employees are entitled to receive compensation benefits in case of unemployment due to force majeure, in cases where government agencies have closed the area to prevent the outbreak of dangerous infectious diseases under the Communicable Disease Act. As a result, insured employees who do not receive any wages during that time have the right to receive compensation benefits in the case of unemployment at the rate of 50 percent of the daily wages throughout the period that the government or state agency orders to close the area. Within one calendar year, insured employees have the right to receive compensation benefits in the event of unemployment due to force majeure not exceeding 90 days. If the draft Ministerial Regulation becomes effective, employees affected by the government’s orders to close the area to prevent the spread of dangerous infectious diseases will be entitled. It is expected that 700,727 insured employees will receive compensation benefits in the event of unemployment due to force majeure, totaling over 5,225 million Baht.
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Division of Public Relations
24 December 2020
