Thai workers left in the lurch: Government’s broken promise leaves evacuees stranded

[webfact]

 

Thai workers who have evacuated from Israel are facing a nightmare as the government’s pledged financial aid remains elusive.

 

Despite assurances of a 50,000-baht compensation almost a month ago, some Thai workers are still waiting, struggling, and urging authorities to expedite relief.

 

The Thai government’s vow of 50,000 baht in compensation, coupled with low-interest loans and additional funds for Thai workers, seemed like a lifeline for those caught in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

 

A former construction worker turned farmer in Israel, 39 year old Kangwan Romsai sold his cattle and invested in a dream that has now turned into a financial nightmare. Despite facing the horrors of the conflict, Kangwan returned home on October 19, only to find himself unemployed and without the promised aid.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-25

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[ezzra]

Thailand, who has no dog in this fight,and were there to earn a living, should sue the Hamas and all other terrorist groups in the international court of law for compensations for lost of life, pain and suffering, Hamas has billions and so the other groups, let see them justify the atrocities they have inflicted on the innocent Thai workers...

Edited November 25, 2023 by ezzra

[petermik]

12 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Thailand, who has no dog in this fight,and were there to earn a living, should sue the Hamas and all other terrorist groups in the international court of law for compensations for lost of life, pain and suffering, Hamas has billions and so the other groups, let see them justify the atrocities they have inflicted on the innocent Thai workers...

Common Thai folk are low down in the Governments pecking order...it will never happen...this is the land of wonderful ideas that are never implemented...talk is cheap.

[Rimmer]

An off topic post trying to hijack the topic has been removed also replies

 

Please see our Community Standards

[NextG]

If compensation is up for discussion, then the discussion should include compensation. 
Or is this just limited to one-sided propaganda?

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Thailand, who has no dog in this fight,and were there to earn a living, should sue the Hamas and all other terrorist groups in the international court of law for compensations for lost of life, pain and suffering, Hamas has billions and so the other groups, let see them justify the atrocities they have inflicted on the innocent Thai workers...

 

The subject is the all too predictable failure of the Thai State to live up to its promises.

 

Maybe take your all too predictable rant to one of the threads in which the conflict is the issue, not one in which problems arising from it in other countries is the issue.

 

if you like I can provide you with a list of atrocities, dating back to 1948, perpetrated by Israelis (so not including the murders of UK servicemen and civillians, by Jewish terrorist organisations, prior to then) but, once again, this thread is about the perfidious nature of the Thai State....and nothing else.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by Enoon

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai workers who have evacuated from Israel are facing a nightmare as the government’s pledged financial aid remains elusive.

As one would expect... any compensation would be looked at on an individual basis after an application for a refund was made..

what could possibly go wrong.

 

[bannork]

The government will act because this will damage Pheu Thai badly if left unattended to.

[bradiston]

Like so many of PK's pronouncements, promises and press releases, they all turn out to be meaningless PR. Headline grabbing, but useless hotair. Thaweesin's trademark.

 

BTW, Narasak's workplace in Nakhon Ratchasima was bombed? By whom?

[connda]

As a private citizen, why is it the government's responsibility to provide money to those who take jobs overseas in countries where there is the chance of civil strife and wars?
You roll the dice and take your chances.  Usually the pay is better if you are accepting geopolitical risks in the nation where you chose to work.  Then it goes sideways and you expect the government to bail you out.  Arranging plane flights back to Thailand should be the extent of the government's participation. 

[Gandtee]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Thailand, who has no dog in this fight,and were there to earn a living, should sue the Hamas and all other terrorist groups in the international court of law for compensations for lost of life, pain and suffering, Hamas has billions and so the other groups, let see them justify the atrocities they have inflicted on the innocent Thai workers...

Good luck with that.

[Cake Monster]

All Governments are notoriously slow in parting with any Money

Edited November 25, 2023 by Cake Monster

[Moonlover]

33 minutes ago, connda said:

As a private citizen, why is it the government's responsibility to provide money to those who take jobs overseas in countries where there is the chance of civil strife and wars?
You roll the dice and take your chances.  Usually the pay is better if you are accepting geopolitical risks in the nation where you chose to work.  Then it goes sideways and you expect the government to bail you out.  Arranging plane flights back to Thailand should be the extent of the government's participation. 

Precisely! It's also worth pointing out that 20,000 plus Thai citizens have chosen to remain in Israel and continue to work there. Furthermore the Israelis have offered a re-entry visa exemption to those Thais who wish to return to the country and continue their contracts.

[it is what it is]

1 hour ago, connda said:

As a private citizen, why is it the government's responsibility to provide money to those who take jobs overseas in countries where there is the chance of civil strife and wars?
You roll the dice and take your chances.  Usually the pay is better if you are accepting geopolitical risks in the nation where you chose to work.  Then it goes sideways and you expect the government to bail you out.  Arranging plane flights back to Thailand should be the extent of the government's participation. 

 

no responsibility. that's not the point, the govt was trying to gain kudos with the population with a populist initiative based on current events. and it looks like it's going to back fire. oops.

 

[riclag]

Come on UN , step up and show

you got a pair!

Qatar hosted the World Cup recently , no doubt in my mind some of those

Hamas elites made a killin!

UN should shame them into covering 

these Thai’s expenses!

 

imop

[bkk6060]

I doubt they will get it.  And, these people went there for a better life and have been there for years yet they have no baht saved now to help them get by?  

[bannork]

42 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I doubt they will get it.  And, these people went there for a better life and have been there for years yet they have no baht saved now to help them get by?  

After the Thai and Israeli governments cut out the middle men, Thai workers have to pay only 65000 baht in labour fees to work in Israel. Previously they had to pay well over 100,000 baht.

As banks will not accept land documents such as sor bor

 kor as collateral, the workers often have to turn to loan sharks to find the money to go.

With the high interest due on these loans, workers often spend more than one year out of their five year contract, paying off the loan.

Some background to the influx of Thai labour in Israel.

https://www.ft.com/content/9ddbdee8-c566-47b1-b514-b3ad6c45f641

 

[bina]

thais that are staying here are able to extend their visa for a sixth year. my husband's cousin was supposed to go home in November,the war broke out, he wanted to stay, so he got his visa extended. also, thais that were here in the far past might be able to come again from what i understand. so we are asking for a friend who had been here about 15! years ago, still remembers his israeli work crew ( some are retired already) and wants to come back.

we are in Jerusalem area so apart from the initial first weeks, its quiet here.

three younger guys from here did go back to Thailand.it seems that veteran workers who have been thru previous operations, are calmer 

we have friends that were in one of the kibbutzim that was invaded. he came to stay with us for a few days, that went back to work on his kibbutz ( he has israeli citizenship for years already. its army area now but armed kibbutz members are there,kids elderly etc are evacuated.

 

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

All Governments are notoriously slow in parting with any Money

They were quick to make promises then are slow to act out.

In reality this was not the fault of the Thai Government and offering compensation to people who chose to go and work elsewhere is a generous move. I worked overseas and would have only expected my Government to help get me out of there if things went unstable. 

[expat_4_life]

18 hours ago, bannork said:

The government will act because this will damage Pheu Thai badly if left unattended to.

 

Tend to agree, but how quickly or if at all in the end depends on how embarrassing it is for them.

Meanwhile, (never let a crisis go to waste) there is opportunity for the political opposition to step in and do something. Perhaps some small stipend to the qualified recipients funded privately or some other creative means while simultaneously turning up the heat on PT for "empty promises".
 

[Barnet1900]

16 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

no responsibility. that's not the point, the govt was trying to gain kudos with the population with a populist initiative based on current events. and it looks like it's going to back fire. oops.

 

For sure.

 

They made a promise quoting the amount they were going to pay in compensation. That would send alarm bells straight away as to what the message meant.

 

A proper government would not disclose the amount. Typical showing off with big figures and big promises. 

 

However, I agree with others on here. You know the risks involved in working there so don't ask for money when it all goes t's up.

[fondue zoo]

 

everything done now sets a precedent for future events

[mikebell]

'Thailand, who has no dog in this fight,and were there to earn a living, should sue the Hamas and all other terrorist groups in the international court of law for compensations for lost of life, pain and suffering, Hamas has billions and so the other groups, let see them justify the atrocities they have inflicted on the innocent Thai workers.'

Thai lawyers are far too overworked to consider any new cases.  They are still working on appeals dating back ten years.

[neeray]

I suppose the original offer of 50,000 by PT was a knee-jerk reaction. Now, perhaps on second thought, not such a good idea.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

All Governments are notoriously slow in parting with any Money

Except for themselves, particularly in the UK, for their second jobs while drawing full MP's salary, expenses, second mortgages etc.

[hotchilli]

On 11/25/2023 at 11:11 AM, webfact said:

The Thai government’s vow of 50,000 baht in compensation, coupled with low-interest loans and additional funds for Thai workers, seemed like a lifeline for those caught in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

From one nightmare, back home to another.

[snowgard]

In the moment almost the complete israeli business lays down. 700.000 civilians do military service now, So the state of israel has almost no income but running costs about the war. Wait some more months and you will get your money!!!

[Morch]

7 hours ago, snowgard said:

In the moment almost the complete israeli business lays down. 700.000 civilians do military service now, So the state of israel has almost no income but running costs about the war. Wait some more months and you will get your money!!!

 

At it's peak the reserve recruitment thing was said to be 300,000 - and many were sent home after the ground offensive was in place. What did happen was that about 200,000-300,000 civilians were evacuated from areas (south and north) near war zones - and that relevant government offices were exposed as being quite useless addressing issues resulting from both circumstances. Things are slowly getting back on track, but there will definitely be some economic setback. Given the current government's already controversial budget allocations and economic policies (aimed at pacifying coalition partners) which resulted in warning signs regarding the country's credit rating - things could get worse down the road.

[Dcheech]

8 hours ago, snowgard said:

So the state of israel has almost no income but running costs about the war. Wait some more months and you will get your money!!!

 

This OP is about Thailand not paying evacuees money promised them. No clue what you are on about. 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Dcheech

[snowgard]

Uuuppsss!!!