Laid-off Workers Block Road In Samut Prakan

[george]

Laid-off workers block road in Samut Prakan

Samut Prakan: -- Some 200 workers of a speaker factory blocked the Theparak Road here Friday morning to demand compensations for their layoff.

The workers, who worked for Sammi Sound Tech Thailand, started blocking both inbound and outbound Theparak at 9 am after the Korean owners of the firm did not turn up to give them the promised compensation.

Their leaders said the workers have never received a severance pay from the Korean employers after they shut down the plant two months ago.

They said the employers promised to pay the compensation to them Friday.

The workers nearly clashed with police when they were asked to clear at least one lane for each side of the road.

The workers agreed to disperse from the road in the afternoon after their representatives reached an agreement for a compensation formula with Samut Prakan Governor Kamthorn Thawornsatit.

The provincial administration agreed to give each worker Bt1,400 as the initial compensation on January 26.

The workers were also asked to file compliant with police against the Korean owners of the firm.

-- The Nation 2008-12-26

[mrtoad]

Sounds like the Koreans are long gone.

[G54]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

[MyphuketLife]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

Yes it does, only its not the same Thais that are ripping off the farang... These are factory workers, not tuk-tuk drivers or bar girls. Now if it was some how the TUK TUK or bar girl that got shafted (wait the bar girls do get shafted) I would find it kind of funny.

I am guessing that the factory owners are long gone.....

One question if a company folds no money at all, how are they supposed to pay a severance package?

[henryalleman]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

Should not be cynical or joke about it. This is a human tragedy for 200 family's who lose their income. And unlike in Western countries they have no stamp money, how they gone pay their rent, children school money, food and so on. Imaging it will happens with you.

[henryalleman]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

Yes it does, only its not the same Thais that are ripping off the farang... These are factory workers, not tuk-tuk drivers or bar girls. Now if it was some how the TUK TUK or bar girl that got shafted (wait the bar girls do get shafted) I would find it kind of funny.

I am guessing that the factory owners are long gone.....

One question if a company folds no money at all, how are they supposed to pay a severance package?

Probably they still have machinery and so on in the factory, when sold they can pay the workers from that money. This situation proved again that Labour Unions and stringent labour laws to protect the workers are strongly needed in Thailand, and ripp offs like this could be avoided.

[slapout]

Lets hope the big projects which are being proposed to stimulate the economy will employee a lot of the factory workers etc who are, and are proposed to be laid off. This type of action is not uncommon alone with other labor practices which are nothing but theft of wages owed to labor by contractors and owners. No one deserves to be shafted on pay owed them, weather manual labor, blue collar or white collar.

[Scott]

Best of luck to them in getting paid.

[mommysboy]

Lets hope the big projects which are being proposed to stimulate the economy will employee a lot of the factory workers etc who are, and are proposed to be laid off. This type of action is not uncommon alone with other labor practices which are nothing but theft of wages owed to labor by contractors and owners. No one deserves to be shafted on pay owed them, weather manual labor, blue collar or white collar.

It's not on. Some sense of rough justice when it comes to Thais? Sorry, but can't help thinking of all the times the boot has been on the other foot.

[mrtoad]

Best of luck to them in getting paid.

Think they are going to need it, but hey TIT so what goes around comes around.

[VegasVic]

Laid-off workers block road in Samut Prakan

Samut Prakan: -- Some 200 workers of a speaker factory blocked the Theparak Road here Friday morning to demand compensations for their layoff.

The workers, who worked for Sammi Sound Tech Thailand, started blocking both inbound and outbound Theparak at 9 am after the Korean owners of the firm did not turn up to give them the promised compensation.

Their leaders said the workers have never received a severance pay from the Korean employers after they shut down the plant two months ago.

They said the employers promised to pay the compensation to them Friday.

The workers nearly clashed with police when they were asked to clear at least one lane for each side of the road.

The workers agreed to disperse from the road in the afternoon after their representatives reached an agreement for a compensation formula with Samut Prakan Governor Kamthorn Thawornsatit.

The provincial administration agreed to give each worker Bt1,400 as the initial compensation on January 26.

The workers were also asked to file compliant with police against the Korean owners of the firm.

-- The Nation 2008-12-26

I fear this scene will be replayed many times during 2009, as export firms go belly up or just close their doors do to narrowing profit margins and growing political instability

[skiman1]

I fear this scene will be replayed many times during 2009, as export firms go belly up or just close their doors do to narrowing profit margins and growing political instability

Very true - I think many firms will just "run away" and leave workers hanging, the situation here in Thailand is set to become tougher as the Financial crisis slowly reaches here - I think 14% of Thai GDP is in the Automotive industry and that is in for a severe time in the coming months! Hopefully the Baht will weaken so I can afford a Beer!!

[munirkn]

It shows the signs of downfall of economy of the world and specially this region. There is huge downsize everywhere in factories, offices bla bla. At the moment if common men are able to meat both ends, they must be thankful and don't waste energy and time on such things.

[jdinasia]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

Yes it does, only its not the same Thais that are ripping off the farang... These are factory workers, not tuk-tuk drivers or bar girls. Now if it was some how the TUK TUK or bar girl that got shafted (wait the bar girls do get shafted) I would find it kind of funny.

I am guessing that the factory owners are long gone.....

One question if a company folds no money at all, how are they supposed to pay a severance package?

since when are Koreans, farang?

[Heng]

Maybe I am a cynic but this sounds pleasantly like 'Farang Rips Off Tha'. Shoe is on the other foot now and they block the road in protest.

Yes it does, only its not the same Thais that are ripping off the farang... These are factory workers, not tuk-tuk drivers or bar girls. Now if it was some how the TUK TUK or bar girl that got shafted (wait the bar girls do get shafted) I would find it kind of funny.

I am guessing that the factory owners are long gone.....

One question if a company folds no money at all, how are they supposed to pay a severance package?

Probably they still have machinery and so on in the factory, when sold they can pay the workers from that money. This situation proved again that Labour Unions and stringent labour laws to protect the workers are strongly needed in Thailand, and ripp offs like this could be avoided.

Unless there is a lien on said equipment (leased or financed), that stuff typically belongs to the landlord, thanks.

[dumball]

Why don't these people think before they stage these disruptive protests , should this type of thing continue as projected by some posters , it will not help their general situation or get their bonus payed . What it will do though more likely than not , is smear the reputation of Thailand as a SAFE tourist destination in the future , the more times you go to court , the longer your sentence is likely to be

Yeah sooth-sayers , I am aware they have the right to protest , but this could prove as much to thier detriment in the longer run ,than obtain something they sound most likely not to achieve .

[PhilHarries]

Unless there is a lien on said equipment (leased or financed), that stuff typically belongs to the landlord, thanks.

And if it was merely an assembly line for sound equipment that equipment may not run to much more than a few hand tools.

Thais very often view employment as a job for life. This kind of thing like factory closures and layoffs has long been a part of the working man's life in the west. Now it is affecting Asian workers and they are ill prepared for it and have little or no protection.

[Heng]

There are probably going to learn about it really fast this year.

[gregb]

Why don't these people think before they stage these disruptive protests , should this type of thing continue as projected by some posters , it will not help their general situation or get their bonus payed . What it will do though more likely than not , is smear the reputation of Thailand as a SAFE tourist destination in the future , the more times you go to court , the longer your sentence is likely to be

Yeah sooth-sayers , I am aware they have the right to protest , but this could prove as much to thier detriment in the longer run ,than obtain something they sound most likely not to achieve .

You don't actually believe these demonstrations are spontaneous and unrelated, do you?

No, I have first hand information. What actually happens is that there is a group of miscreants in Bangkok who have made a job of going around to financially troubled firms and organizing the workers who get laid off or don't get the bonus they want or are otherwise disgruntled. They are having no trouble finding companies in the current environment. This group organizes the workers against the management, and stages a blockade and assists in physically intimidating the people inside the company, who can't leave.

Don't think that all the workers in Bangkok have suddenly got an idea that they can protest. No, it is a gang that is doing this, and for their efforts they take a portion, usually 10% - 25%, of the settlement that they win.

This will keep happening because it is a revenue making opportunity for these thugs, and it doesn't cost the workers anything to sit down and let these guys do the nasty. The only people who get hurt are business owners who really don't have the money to pay 6 month bonuses this year. However, when you feel your life is at stake and you are being held hostage inside your place of employment, you tend to worry about the immediate problems.

This will only get worse. Everytime these criminal succeed in a protest the companies who are already struggling are further weakened, and even more people will wind up losing their jobs. It's a vicious, catabolic cycle. Worse, eventually, someone will not cave to the blackmail and intimidation. Then there will likely be blood.

Think anyone will want to start a business in Thailand after a manager gets clubbed to death because the employees weren't happy that they didn't get a bonus? This is just beginning.

[cali4995]

So many of these factory/company workers are hired through a 3rd party as a contract scheme. Which

always surprised me since an inherent part of that is reducing employee benefits. When I hear of some

of these folks getting 3-4 month bonuses or even severance packages, it's almost unheard of. The Thai

gov't really should do away with this exploitative system. The employees have very few "legal" entitlements.

[dumball]

Why don't these people think before they stage these disruptive protests , should this type of thing continue as projected by some posters , it will not help their general situation or get their bonus payed . What it will do though more likely than not , is smear the reputation of Thailand as a SAFE tourist destination in the future , the more times you go to court , the longer your sentence is likely to be

Yeah sooth-sayers , I am aware they have the right to protest , but this could prove as much to thier detriment in the longer run ,than obtain something they sound most likely not to achieve .

You don't actually believe these demonstrations are spontaneous and unrelated, do you?

No, I have first hand information. What actually happens is that there is a group of miscreants in Bangkok who have made a job of going around to financially troubled firms and organizing the workers who get laid off or don't get the bonus they want or are otherwise disgruntled. They are having no trouble finding companies in the current environment. This group organizes the workers against the management, and stages a blockade and assists in physically intimidating the people inside the company, who can't leave.

Don't think that all the workers in Bangkok have suddenly got an idea that they can protest. No, it is a gang that is doing this, and for their efforts they take a portion, usually 10% - 25%, of the settlement that they win.

This will keep happening because it is a revenue making opportunity for these thugs, and it doesn't cost the workers anything to sit down and let these guys do the nasty. The only people who get hurt are business owners who really don't have the money to pay 6 month bonuses this year. However, when you feel your life is at stake and you are being held hostage inside your place of employment, you tend to worry about the immediate problems.

This will only get worse. Everytime these criminal succeed in a protest the companies who are already struggling are further weakened, and even more people will wind up losing their jobs. It's a vicious, catabolic cycle. Worse, eventually, someone will not cave to the blackmail and intimidation. Then there will likely be blood.

Think anyone will want to start a business in Thailand after a manager gets clubbed to death because the employees weren't happy that they didn't get a bonus? This is just beginning.

You have agreed with my last sentence with your last sentence , but you did lay out some of the subterfuge that is the main instigator of the protests , thank you for that . .