Labor Ministry faces another 1,000 layoffs

Labour Permanent Secretary Juthathawat Inthornsuksri, who inspected the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate on Saturday, said he was informed that Siam Asahi Technoglass Co Ltd would let go nearly 1,000 workers by the end of the month.

He urged the company to observe the Labour Protection Act of 1998 and compensate the workers. The company replied it was ready to comply because it already had funds reserved for that.

Nearby factories were asked to absorb the excess workers.

Initially Siam Cement Group agreed to take on some 100 of them.

The provincial employment office would set up a registration desk for the remaining job seekers from July 23-24.

Juthathawat affirmed there should be no problems because the area had nearly 2,000 positions available.

He said the ministry's "five tigers" - the provincial employment, labour skill development, labour protection and welfare, social security and labour offices - would discuss preparations to assist workers made redundant by the rising baht's pressure on the economic condition.

Juthathawat, in his role as board president of the Social Security Office, also said he would table a request from employers to lower their co-payment for their employees to the Social Security Fund to the board's meeting on Tuesday.

The employers are seeking relief from high personnel costs.

He said the employers might be allowed to postpone their share of employee contributions to the fund during these difficult times, as a first measure.

The Nation