Officials predict millions of Thais will soon be unemployed from backlash of the Covid-19 crisis

In the next few months, 10 million Thais could be out of jobs if the current Covid-19 outbreak continues. Supant Mongkolsuthee, President of the Federation of Thai Industries Department, said the Thai government needs to provide timely business assistance for those that are struggling to cope with the Covid-19 crisis.

As president of the working committee of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, which is responsible for managing small and medium-sized businesses, Supant says that SME operators want the government to step in immediately and pay 50% of the 15,000 baht monthly minimum wage, so that they will not be forced to lay off millions of Thai blue-collar employees.

“The SME owners would share 25 per cent of the compensation while the workers forgo the remainder to retain their jobs and work hours will be halved to four hours a day.”

“This plan will help save about 10 million jobs if it is accepted.”

The CCSA working committee is one of the five committees set up by Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in his role as Chairman of the CCSA. Representatives of the five committees have been directed by the Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board to come up with steps to help industries tackle the pandemic that has destroyed enterprises, most of which are big and small.

The chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the head of the committee to investigate which companies should restart their operations, Kalin Sarasin, says…

“His panel is recommending which companies are allowed to return to work without jeopardizing the virus spread measures in place.”

SOURCE:Thai PBS World

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