Companies asked not to lay off workers in time of anxiety

By The Nation

 

Somkid Jatusripitak (left), Suriya Jungrungreangkit (right)

 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak urged entrepreneurs not to lay off workers due to the Covid-19 outbreak and instructed the Ministry of Industry to distribute 10 million face masks within two months, at a meeting with ministry officials and representatives from major companies today (March 18).

 

“We want entrepreneurs to think about the impact on the employees' families if they lost their jobs. Companies should also take care of employees' health because the Ministry of Finance has issued measures to help Covid-19 victims,” he said.

 

He said that he would discuss with the Ministry of Finance on additional measures, while the Thai Bankers’ Association and Bank of Thailand (BoT) would meet on employees' welfare.

 

“Thailand is considered one of the world’s largest food production bases, so people do not need to hoard products because it is sufficient to meet demand. Furthermore, the country is not under lockdown,” he said.

 

To solve the shortage of surgical mask, he said the Ministry of Industry is currently accelerating cooperation with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and manufacturers.

 

“We will supply 10 million face masks in two months with the first phase of distribution set for next week, as well as sanitiser hand-gels,” he said.

 

“The FTI will decide the points of distribution based on public access, such as PTT gas stations, convenience stores, and financial institutions”.

 

Somkid said he could not say how much longer the Covid-19 outbreak would persist, but expected it would be under control in two to three months.

 

“We must create confidence among people to avoid panic,” he added. “It is a good thing that Thais are aware of this issue, while we will ensure that they have plenty of foods, medicines, and drinks.”

 

Meanwhile, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Minister of Industry said that the Cabinet had approved the Ministry's plan to produce 10 million cloth surgical face masks, adding that it was already cooperating with FTI and the textile industry. 

 

“We will use good-quality clothes in line with the Ministry of Industry's instruction and accelerate the production process for the first phase of distribution next week,” he said.

 

“Also, producers of sanitiser hand gels have confirmed that they can meet market demand” Suriya said. 

 

Somkid again urged people not to panic, reassuring the sufficiency of all consumer products.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384340

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-18

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Like that's gonna happen.

How long does the government think most companies can survive with all the outgoings and no income?

1 week -2 weeks tops.

2 months to deliver 10million masks? That's ridiculous you idiot. You should be able to deliver that in 1 week according to your own numbers that factories in Thailand can deliver 1.2million masks per day, unless...

 

...3.2million face masks are on a ship to the USA as I type...might have been useful here, Pinhead...

 

...and as far as not laying of staff...if the economics don't make sense, then we will lay off staff...not that there is any major support for tax cuts, VAT, loans, deferment of social security or any Government support.

 

You are a clown show. You completely screwed up this situation, so don't go looking for entrepreneurs to bail you out. Show some moxy you snapper head.

Of course they will lay off. This is Thailand, workers leave when they want without any warning, only fair it's reciprocal.

does he expects an hotel employing 100's of people and Empty/No guests to keep paying salaries... how much cash is it required to do so, like throwing money into a hole or into the fire knowing it will not come back.... wishful thinking

How are all those companies supposed to survive with paying employees and making no money?

 

As soon as the Government takes responsibility and tells the Share Holders for the "L" part of their P&L, they might consider it.

2 weeks no lock down and open borders will not do anything and people will start to get sick all over. More like a 3+ week lock down to control the outcome. In the short and long run these bozos are doing more destruction harm than anything. Factory and businesses cannot survive on air. All of these clowns are rich so what do they really care except in playing pretend I am a minister so I know what is best.

Does anybody have a timeline of what happened after 2008? This'll be like that but on steroids. Purchasing power going down, more layoffs, it's a downward spiral. The "middle class" in Thailand will be obliterated. The likely end result is motherland grabbing the opportunity and making Chailand a proper official vassal state.

Things are going to get ugly here soon. Just hope not too ugly. 

40 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

The likely end result is motherland grabbing the opportunity and making Chailand a proper official vassal state.

Reckon they have had that covered from the onset, all part of the ongoing agenda, Corporate Thailand will bloom, no criticism of the "government" entertained for the brilliant response would be a fair reward?

Or the "China model" could be used, look how well its model "government" worked so well for the people, that's why why we will give ourselves the same powers ????

23 minutes ago, CGW said:

Reckon they have had that covered from the onset, all part of the ongoing agenda, Corporate Thailand will bloom, no criticism of the "government" entertained for the brilliant response would be a fair reward?

Speaking of corporate, it was rather eye-opening to see how CP is involved in the maize production in the Myanmar Shan state and the resulting burning of the fields. They are creepin towards north and reaping profits by exploiting SEA. With the full blessing of the junta, simply because China doesn't care if they usurped the power or not. Brilliant moves by CCP (ironic, innit, just add one C for commie), stupid non-moves by the peoples. 

 

http://www.mekonglandforum.org/node/2163

 

You just have to love that ??? bubble there, eh?

 

They will not only lay off people, but start exploiting them as day laborers. Get in line, first few who will work for next to nothing can hit the fields.

Edited March 18, 20206 yr by DrTuner

16 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

You just have to love that ??? bubble there, eh?

Indeed! Singapore has terrible pollution at times which comes from Indonesia, they did a similar flowchart and found it all stemmed back to Singapore companies! Usual suspects!

The social divide is going to get a significant boost this year, be interesting to see how the tally for suicides compares with the death rate from the virus?

They are not laying people off because of virus

They are laying off people because no sales=no money to pay salaries, etc

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Like that's gonna happen.

How long does the government think most companies can survive with all the outgoings and no income?

1 week -2 weeks tops.

If this drags on for six months as predicted by some there's going to be a lot of sick and hungry mouths to feed with little means to pay and people don't normally let a little thing like money or ownership get in the way of a meal when they have no money so can we expect to see an expenential increase in crime to go along with the infections curve and death rate curve.This shutdown business might have the wrong kind of effect in dealing with the crisis. 

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“We want entrepreneurs to think about the impact on the employees' families if they lost their jobs

I'm sure the entertainment sector is listing... as they hand-out the goodbye letters.

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Like that's gonna happen.

How long does the government think most companies can survive with all the outgoings and no income?

1 week -2 weeks tops.

All the money accrued with the strong baht would have to go to shore economy ... They don’t know how .... Thailand will be in recession and how will they reverse the Dirty Falangs to help them

It's already happening there are lots of small resorts around where I live and they have no guest one place I drive bye in the evenings is in darkness and another one I know is having a meeting this weekend with the staff expecting to see most of the staff getting laid off I know one of the maids lets see how they work that one out, who stays and who goes

We cannot continue to blame the companies for laying off staff.....which was going on before the Wohan China virus came along.  The blame lays squarely at the feet of those running the country into the ground. Prayut and crew...plus the ones behind the purple curtain are the ones who deserve punishment......

On 3/18/2020 at 7:02 PM, BritManToo said:

Like that's gonna happen.

How long does the government think most companies can survive with all the outgoings and no income?

1 week -2 weeks tops.

Qantas has just put off 20 thousand, so don't tell me Thai Int and all the others are going to have thousands walking about a airport doing nothing. Small business are shutting down rapidly in Oz, the government is supplying short term small wage fix , that wont last long term, expect public disorder and lots of home burglaries as people try to find money to survive.

Yeah, do not lay off, or we have massive public demonstrations.