“Pol.Gen. Adul” Drives Professional Training and 3A Policy for Informal Workers in Lampang

            On January 15, 2019, Labour Minister, H.E. Police General Adul Sangsingkeo, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Jarin Chakkaphark and the Ministry of Labour’s executives visited the Lampang Skill Development Institute 10. On this occasion, the visiting party presented money from the compensation fund to 2 employees who lost and died from performing work. This included 1) Mr. Chaowalit Namduang, an employee of an Italian-Thai Development Co., Ltd, Mae Moh branch, suffered from an accident while working on October 30, 2018, where a heat propeller clamped his left arm while inspecting a tractor, causing his left arm to tear beneath his elbow. He received compensation totaling 716,757.45 Baht. 2) Mr. Ritiphong Inchurant, an employee of Italian-Thai Development Co., Ltd, Mae Moh branch, suffered from an accident while working on November 20, 2018. His body was clamped down with a machine belt during inspection which resulted in death. His father, Mr. Wanchai Inchurant was entitled to receive compensation totaling 709,519.01 Baht. The Labour Minister and the visiting party also presented awards to 10 model workplaces on safety, occupational health and working environment for 2018; 2 were awarded on a national level and 8 on a provincial level. They then visited an exhibition by 9 informal worker groups consisting of:

1) 51 members in a home worker group who sew clothes and bags made children and native clothing earning 30,000 Baht/ month.
2) 22 members in a home worker group who sew socks and shoes from diving suits earning 25,000 Baht/month.
3) 30 members in the Huai Peng basket weaving group who made baskets, honey jars, weaved tables and brooms earning 10,000 – 20,000 Baht/month.
4) 80 members in a Thai massage group who make herbal compress products, balms, provide relaxing massages, acupressure, acupuncture, body balance massages and facial spa, earning 50,000 Baht/month.
5) 14 members in an umbrella braiding group who make baskets, shoes, and bags, earning 10,000 Baht/month.
6) 20 members the Ban Pong herbal products group, who make herbal sprays, skin cream, shampoo, conditioner, hair dye and soap, earning 8,000 Baht/month.
7) 31 members in a group of people with disabilities who make bamboo baskets, earning 11,000 Baht/month.
8) 8 members in a plastic chair basketry group who make woven basketry products, earning 25,000 Baht/month, and
9) 14 members in a leather sewing group who sew bags from fabric, earning 20,000 Baht/month.

            Pol.Gen. Adul and committee received a presentation of work safety among informal worker groups and observed activities supporting the policy to upgrade the skills super workers, Korean language training to encourage Thai workers to travel abroad for work according to the correct traveling processes and improved capabilities.
From there the Labour Minister presided over the presentation of policy and direction of operation to heads of government agencies in Lampang, Lamphun and Chiang Mai at the Lampang Skill Development Institute 10. He said that this visit was to follow up on the progress of enhancing skills development to national standards in the area, and to follow up on issues and obstacles to find solutions and improve Thai labour standards to be in line with the labour strategies of both provinces, especially Lampang, which focuses on 2 areas: a creative economy that focuses on the development of skilled labour in industries such as the manufacturing, tourism, mining and quarrying industries to increase the productivity of talented workers, create economic value for the province along with promoting people at the working age, both inside and outside the system, to have a job, income, security and safety to work.
            The Labour Minister and the committee also visited labour activities for company employees at Northern Attire Co., Ltd., such as results of increasing workforce productivity and operations for the “To Be Number One” campaign. Northern Attire Co., Ltd. produces and distributes uniforms for all government agencies and the private sectors. It has 105 employees, 7 men and 95 women, with no employment of child or foreign workers. There are 177 club members, 105 who are employees and 72 who are members of family, whereby the company encourages employees to attend training courses to increase labour productivity. There is also promotion of labour relations and welfare systems such as social security.
            Lampang has 256,744 people in the workforce, 255,342 people are employed and 1,402 unemployed. There are 167,788 informal workers, 101,238 people in the agricultural sector and 66,550 in the non-agricultural sector. There are 2,221 organizations with 15,091 foreign workers, 83,919 insurers under Section 33 of the social security, 15,538 under Section 39 and 36,116 under Section 40.