The Ministry of Labour’s Assistant to the Labour Minister Dr. Duangrit Benjathukul Chairungrueng discussed the Ministry of Labour’s urgent measures in all 3 areas to prevent the coronavirus pandemic in 2019.
On March 23, 2020, at 09.00 hours, Assistant to the Labour Minister Dr. Duangrit Benjathukul Chairungrueng presided over the meeting on the Ministry of Labour’s urgent measures to prevent the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting took place at the Saengsingkaew conference room, 5th floor, Ministry of Labour. Dr. Duangrit discussed the urgent measures in preventing the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, by the Ministry of Labour, as follows.
- Measures to prevent and eliminate the introduction of infections into Thailand (international side) due to the announcement of the travel warning of many countries and regions that have experienced outbreaks of the Covid-19 level 3 in Taiwan, which is the highest warning. The Ministry of Labour has notified recruitment companies that sent workers to Taiwan to understand the measures taken by the Taiwanese Ministry of Labour and the Thai labour offices in Taiwan, both in Kaohsiung and Taipei, to notify the 58,572 Thai workers still working in Taiwan to understand and comply with the measures. In the case of South Korea, since the relaxation of measures on December 11, 2019, a total of 6,814 Thais returned to the country. After the Korean Ministry of Public Health announced that the area outside the kingdom is a dangerous contagious area for Covid-19, from March 3 – 15, 2020, a total of 2,087 Thai workers returned to Thailand. At present, an average of 150 people returns each day, all of which must pass a Covid-19 test.
- Measures to suppress domestic outbreaks (protection side), to restrict the movement of foreign workers. Employers and companies who have requested to renew the registration of foreign workers before March 31, 2020, as well as other operations, can be done until June 30, 2020. In addition, for the return of migrant workers from the 3 nationalities during Songkran, the Ministry of Labour will notify employers that hire foreign workers to continue to give announcements to foreign employees. This year, there will not be an exemption of entry and departure fees for this group of workers. In addition, the Ministry of Labour has announced work-at-home work measures to enable personnel to work and be ready to travel to work at the office at any time, if there is an urgent matter. It is also advised that employees alternate operations, beginning on Monday, March 23, 2020. In addition, it has promoted the production and use of cloth masks for the public, to build awareness and publicize preventive measures in the workplace by providing knowledge to employees and insured persons in the workplace. The ministry has also publicized awareness about the Covid-19 virus through all media channels continuously.
- Remedy measures, if an insurer is diagnosed with Covid-19, there is no need to pay for any examination or medication. They are also able to be admitted to a nearby hospital or a government hospital under the social security system and claim for an emergency within 72 hours. If the insurer takes sick leave with wages from the employer for a full 30 days but must stop by the doctor’s order, the Social Security Office will pay compensation for the lack of income for more than 90 days at a time and no more than 180 days per year. Regarding the adjustment of unemployment benefits, if insurers resign, they will receive compensation both in the case of lack of income, employment termination, and force majeure, which covers both unemployed insurers and the employers instructed to stop operating.
The Assistant to the Labour Minister further said that there are measures to assist businesses in accordance with the Skill Development Promotion Act 2002, the Employment Credit Promotion project, reducing employer contribution rates and insurers, in the extension on the deadline for filing forms showing contributions and contributions of employers and insurers. There are measures to remedy employees in the case of termination and not receiving legal compensation, measures to delay lay-offs, the establishment of a Part-time Employment Service Center, urgent employment and skill development initiatives to alleviate occupational distress, employment of unemployed graduates as project coordinators of the Ministry of Labour at the local level, adjustment of skills training plans for workers to handle unemployment and the economy over 3 months, and the establishment of the Corona Pandemic Operations Center 2019 (Hot Line COVID – 19) to provide hotline services at 02-9562513- 4 on official days and hours; users can also contact the 1506 hotline (24 hours, daily).
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Division of Public Relations
23 March 202
