The Ministry of Labour partnered with the Thai Red Cross Society to visit the Samut Sakhon Provincial Governor and the Red Cross Provincial President to discuss guidelines for using the “Samut Sakhon Model” as a pilot province in looking after migrant workers to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
On April 20, 2020, at 09.30 hours, Assistant to the Labour Minister Dr. Duangrit Benjathukul Chairungrueng, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat and Deputy Director of the Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross, Dr. Pichit Siriwan, met with Samut Sakhon Provincial Governor Mr. Wirasak Withitsaengsri and the Red Cross Provincial President Mrs. Chutiphon Wichitsangsri. The meeting discussed the use of the “Samut Sakhon Model” as a pilot province in looking after foreign workers. It also discussed the making of cloth masks and measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus among migrant workers and creating understanding among foreign workers in Thailand to know how to protect themselves from Covid-19.
Samut Sakhon Provincial Governor Mr. Wirasak Withitsaengsri spoke about preventive measures for the spread of the Covid-19 virus among migrant workers in Samut Sakhon. The measures include 1) Measures given by provincial governors to foreign worker public health volunteers and foreign workers, to strictly comply with regulations, announcements, and instructions. Advice to the workers was to look after their health, to wear masks every time they go out and to advise others to follow. Also, to adjust the environment and the landscape to be beautiful, realizing that the workers are in Thailand, and therefore to respect Thai laws and cooperate in helping each other for all Thais and foreigners. 2) Providing knowledge on the prevention of Covid-19 to foreign workers in the community, companies, in the temple where foreign workers make merit and foreign children in the Foreign Children Center 3) Self-care in the dormitories. Bi-lingual notices of self-care and healthy practices were posted in the dormitories of foreign migrant workers, in every dormitory 4) Establishing a pilot dormitory space for the prevention of Covid-19 by the Baan Ua Athon Thacheen pilot, and expanding the area to 2 locations, namely Montri Krok Krad Dormitory and Pa Joo Tha Chalom Dormitory, and 5) Raise awareness and provide education on Covid-19 through social media, as foreign workers now communicate via Facebook more than through the LINE application for example.
In this regard, the Labour Minister’s Assistant and committee visited and met with foreign workers to give out cloth masks, face shields and hand gel at the Samut Sakhon shrimp market in Mueang Samut Sakhon, Samut Sakhon Province. They also visited the Foundation to Promote the Quality of Life of Workers (LPN), Mueang Samut Sakhon, Samut Sakhon, to visit foreign workers affected by Covid-19, together with the Thai Red Cross, to provide 500 relief kits.
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Division of Public Relations
