The Ministry of Labour’s spokesperson reported that Commander Lieutenant Vittavat Koodprasert, Minister Counselor (on Labour), in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), transferred funding from the overseas jobseeker assistance fund to labour volunteers in Beirut, Lebanon. The volunteers will use this funding to help 13 Thai workers who are members of the fund, to alleviate suffering. Thai workers who are members of the fund brought some of the money together to buy dry foods, to share with fellow workers who are not members of the fund, and experiencing the emergency situation.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat, as the Ministry of Labour’s spokesperson, revealed further reports from Commander Lieutenant Vittavat Koodprasert, Minister Counselor (on Labour), in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), where the Labour Office in Riyadh oversees Thai workers in Lebanon. The reports updated the progress from the violent explosions in Beirut, Lebanon. On August 9, the Labour Office in Riyadh transferred funding from the overseas jobseeker assistance fund to Ms. Sirion Sriviruth, a labour volunteer in Beirut, Lebanon to give to 13 members of the fund in suffering. The Thai workers have been laid off as a result of Covid-19 and are waiting to return to Thailand. However, they have not yet been able to return as they are waiting for a special flight back. The workers had experienced suffering, received damage and were injured in the explosion. The members who received money from the fund, together with allocated part of the money to buy dry foods to share with Thai workers who were not members of the fund, in the emergency situation. The Royal Thai Embassy in Riyadh is in the process of creating survival packs to give to Thai people and Thai workers who have suffered in Beirut, Lebanon, to cover everyone.
The Labour Office in Riyadh further reported that for Thai workers’ residences that were damaged, Thai worker colleagues have helped to repair the homes temporarily and supply as many materials as possible. Some of the Thai workers have also helped Lebanese employer establishments. Furthermore, there is the incident where Lebanese people protested the government, for President Michel Oun and Prime Minister Hasandi to resign. As a result, there were clashes between protesters and police officers in front of the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque in the city of Martyskaw, Beirut. The Labour Office in Riyadh has therefore informed all Thai workers in Beirut to avoid in the area.
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Division of Public Relations
10 August 2020
