Assistant to the Labour Minister traveled to Songkhla to meet with the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and hotel and tourism business operators affected by COVID-19. He listened to the problems and assisted employers and employees following the Ministry of Labour’s mitigation measures. The provincial Chamber of Commerce thanked the Ministry of Labour for providing timely support.
On March 11, 2020, Assistant to the Labour Minister Dr. Duangrit Benjathukul Chairungrueng said that Labour Minister M.R. Chatu Mongol Sonakul instructed him to visit Songkhla province to meet with the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and hotel and tourism business operators, regarding the economic conditions of Songkhla and the effects of the coronary epidemic outbreak (COVID – 19). The meeting took place at the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce meeting room. The Assistant to the Labour Minister instructed all departments of the Ministry of Labour to look after the affected business operators and employees. He emphasized that “The Unemployment Support Center” must be a refuge for employers and employees in the area. On this occasion, the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, employers, and local businesses met with departments under the Ministry of Labour, which listened to the issues and claims and suggesting solutions. The session went well, and the parties are ready to resolve the problem together.
Dr. Duangrit also discussed the Ministry of Labour’s remedial measures for businesses and employees to reduce the effects of the Covid – 19, which is 1) Examining the benefits of being a member of the fund to help people find work overseas, for Thai workers returning from countries at risk of being infected and spreading. If they are a member, they have the right to receive financial aid to alleviate suffering due to an epidemic. Official agencies from the countries have announced 15,000 Baht. 2) Recruiting for 81,562 vacancies and hiring new graduates to be project coordinators of the Ministry of Labour at the local level. 3) Skills development courses for 70,000 formal workers, to add 30,000, for a total of 100,000 people to train. 4) Skill development for informal workers, from the original 100,000 people, to add 20,000, for a total of 120,000 people to be prepared. 5) Loan project for employment promotion under the cooperation agreement between the Social Security Office and commercial banks, allowing businesses that apply for loans to get lower interest less than the market, in the budget of 30,000 million Baht; The project will end in December 2020. 6) Studying and considering together three health funds (SSO, NHSO, and Comptroller General’s Department) for additional medical service fees paid to the hospitals providing treatment for insured patients with COVID-19 to receive thorough and sufficient services. 7) Notify and circulate information for Social Security Offices in Bangkok, all provinces, and Songkhla and social security hospitals around the country to rehearse medical service guidelines in the case insured persons receive treatment for COVID-19. 8) Encourage businesses to create labour trainings according to the Act by providing tax incentives, loans, and grants from the fund and 9) Reducing contributions for the employer and employee side by 1% by paying 4% each side (from the previous 5% each side) for six months to not affect the benefits of the insurer, by issuing a Ministry announcement effective in the March 2020 pay period.
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Division of Public Relations
12 March 2020
