New law offers unprecedented medical benefits for workers

[webfact]

New law offers unprecedented medical benefits for workers

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

Nearly 10 million Thai employees nationwide would enjoy enhanced healthcare benefits under the Workmen’s Compensation Act (second edition 2018).

 

The legal amendment was published in the Royal Gazette on October 10 and would come into effect 60 days later on December 11.

 

The spokesman of the Standing Committee for Workmen’s Compensation, Manas Kosol, said the “New Year Gift” would especially benefit public sector staff. 

 

State employees, such as garbage collectors and road sweepers, who were prone to injury at work, would get unprecedented benefits starting from the first day of employment, with effect from December 11. Before the legal amendment, they did not have these facilities and had to bank on the universal healthcare scheme when fell sick. 

 

As per the new provisions:

 

1 In case of illness caused by work and certified by a doctor to get sick leave, he/she will get compensation for missed income at 70 per cent of monthly pay; 

 

2 In case of disability caused by work, a state employee will be compensated for lost income for at least 15 years;

 

3 In the case of death caused by work, a state employee’s family will get a compensation for missed income at 70 per cent of monthly pay for 10 years or 120 months; 

 

4 A state employee who falls ill due to work will be entitled to full medical treatment without limits. 

 

Private sector employees will also got enhanced benefits, especially medical coverage for the entire treatment. Earlier medical coverage was limited to a maximum of up to Bt2 million.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30356411

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-15

[Samui Bodoh]

"...The spokesman of the Standing Committee for Workmen’s Compensation, Manas Kosol, said the “New Year Gift” would especially benefit public sector staff. 

 

State employees, such as garbage collectors and road sweepers, who were prone to injury at work, would get unprecedented benefits starting from the first day of employment, with effect from December 11. Before the legal amendment, they did not have these facilities and had to bank on the universal healthcare scheme when fell sick..." 

 

Read the paragraphs above carefully; yet more of the government-controlled political base is getting enhanced benefits. I wonder what the quid pro quo is? Hmm.. what does the Junta want? Could it be votes from a malleable, controllable voting block?

 

And, notice that the Universal Health Care scheme won't cover them anymore. Anyone naive enough out there to believe that the Universal Health care scheme will also get enhancements? Anyone? Anyone?

 

History-minded members might want to research Suharto's regime in Indonesia (1965-97), the parallels are eerily striking...

 

[certacito]

33 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...The spokesman of the Standing Committee for Workmen’s Compensation, Manas Kosol, said the “New Year Gift” would especially benefit public sector staff. 

 

State employees, such as garbage collectors and road sweepers, who were prone to injury at work, would get unprecedented benefits starting from the first day of employment, with effect from December 11. Before the legal amendment, they did not have these facilities and had to bank on the universal healthcare scheme when fell sick..." 

 

Read the paragraphs above carefully; yet more of the government-controlled political base is getting enhanced benefits. I wonder what the quid pro quo is? Hmm.. what does the Junta want? Could it be votes from a malleable, controllable voting block?

 

And, notice that the Universal Health Care scheme won't cover them anymore. Anyone naive enough out there to believe that the Universal Health care scheme will also get enhancements? Anyone? Anyone?

 

History-minded members might want to research Suharto's regime in Indonesia (1965-97), the parallels are eerily striking...

 

 

Where does it say that? 

[Crash999]

2 hours ago, certacito said:

 

Where does it say that? 

It doesn’t. Doesn’t matter, bash Thailand anyway! 

[gunderhill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

10 million Thai employees nationwide

And the photo shows what's most likely Burmese workers who will benefit nowt! They can't vote anyway.

[robblok]

Seems like a good thing for workers, even if it is for political gain it benefits the workers. Seems to me like this is going in the right direction.

 

Yes it will make the junta more popular but the idea itself is good junta or not. 

[Chopperboy]

55 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

And the photo shows what's most likely Burmese workers who will benefit nowt! They can't vote anyway.

Actually Burmese can have the exact same Social Security as Thais now.

Paid by the employer it gives them the same entitlement/ health care as Thais.

It was introduced just over a year ago and covers the Thai boss if they have an injury at work, so it would be sensible for them to take it up.

[jgarbo]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...The spokesman of the Standing Committee for Workmen’s Compensation, Manas Kosol, said the “New Year Gift” would especially benefit public sector staff. 

 

State employees, such as garbage collectors and road sweepers, who were prone to injury at work, would get unprecedented benefits starting from the first day of employment, with effect from December 11. Before the legal amendment, they did not have these facilities and had to bank on the universal healthcare scheme when fell sick..." 

 

Read the paragraphs above carefully; yet more of the government-controlled political base is getting enhanced benefits. I wonder what the quid pro quo is? Hmm.. what does the Junta want? Could it be votes from a malleable, controllable voting block?

 

And, notice that the Universal Health Care scheme won't cover them anymore. Anyone naive enough out there to believe that the Universal Health care scheme will also get enhancements? Anyone? Anyone?

 

History-minded members might want to research Suharto's regime in Indonesia (1965-97), the parallels are eerily striking...

 

Disgraceful! Providing benefits to improve your life in the hope of getting your vote? I'd only vote for a thief who stole my stuff and beat me up! Real democracy.

[Samui Bodoh]

7 minutes ago, jgarbo said:

Disgraceful! Providing benefits to improve your life in the hope of getting your vote? I'd only vote for a thief who stole my stuff and beat me up! Real democracy.

Good post, and since it made me smile- thanks for that!

 

However, my concerns here are more policy-based rather than politics-based.

 

When a government (any government) creates benefits for a certain specific group of people AND has the ability to control and/or manipulate those benefits, it gives them special powers over a large number of voters (the example of Indonesia/Suharto is a brilliant demonstration of this, thus the comment above).

 

A better policy would be to enhance the availability and access of all Thais to Health Care based on need rather than their employer's status. Or, put another way, allow Thais to access the Health Care system without discrimination based on employment (yes, before anyone makes the point, self-employed don't seem to contribute and they should...).

 

Yes, I am talking about Universal Health Care.

 

Simply put, illness/disease/etc do not discriminate and I don't think a health care system should either. If a system is available to one person, it should be available to all people.

 

 

[Srikcir]

14 minutes ago, jgarbo said:

Disgraceful! Providing benefits to improve your life in the hope of getting your vote? I'd only vote for a thief who stole my stuff and beat me up! Real democracy.

It's the hypocrisy of pro-military political factions accusing the PTP of vote buying through social programs prior to elections while the Prayut regime prior to upcoming alleged elections does the same.

Remember one of the first policies that Prayut announced after his coup - there will be no populist programs! He called them corruption.

But that was when he was a "soldier." Now he is a "politician."

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

It's the hypocrisy of pro-military political factions accusing the PTP of vote buying through social programs prior to elections while the Prayut regime prior to upcoming alleged elections does the same.

Remember one of the first policies that Prayut announced after his coup - there will be no populist programs! He called them corruption.

But that was when he was a "soldier." Now he is a "politician."

Yes its pure hypocrisy of the junta.. but its also pure hypocrisy of PTP supporters commenting on these plans as vote buying while this is nothing more then copying PTP projects.  So either blame both or blame neither for their populist policies. 

 

I always found the Thaksin healthcare a good think but it was a vote buying scheme too just like this. Strange that so many applaud that scheme but now condemn this one because its a junta scheme. 

 

*EDIT*

 

I am more and more curious about the elections, the amount of popular policies and money the junta is throwing around is huge. I wonder if it really makes a difference if so then im right about vote buying with policies like this.. if not I need to reconsider my opinions.

[Enoon]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

Seems like a good thing for workers, even if it is for political gain it benefits the workers. Seems to me like this is going in the right direction.

 

Yes it will make the junta more popular but the idea itself is good junta or not. 

 

It will make them more popular with State employees.

 

And create/widen a rift between state and "general population".

 

Which will also be popular for "regime changers" who like to see such rifts......as they make the general population more open to their messages.

 

The wheels of catastrophe grind slowly, but surely, on.