Number Of Jobless In Phuket Skyrockets

[george]

Labor Office extends help as number of jobless skyrockets

PHUKET CITY: -- The Phuket Provincial Labor Office (PLO) has extended its employment-creation scheme for people made jobless by the tsunami, in response to the number of unemployed on the island increasing from 46 at the end of January to 14,674 on March 15.

According to figures compiled by the Phuket Social Security Office, 46 people on the island were made redundant in January, while in February the number climbed to 457.

But it was between March 1 and March 15 that the number of unemployed on the island blew out to 14,674.

In addition, 19 hotels and guesthouses have gone out of business so far this year, along with 51 businesses in the recreation and leisure sector, such as restaurants, tour companies, spas and cabaret show operators.

In response, the PLO has extended its work-creation scheme until June. Under the scheme, unemployed people are paid 175 baht a day to perform public wor ks, including street sweeping, gardening and public sector office work.

The Ministry of Labor gave the PLO 9 million baht to launch the job-creation project, which was originally scheduled to wind up on March 15.

However, PLO Chief Decha Prekpattanarak said the scheme was currently supporting around 2,500 people, and that the PLO intends to use all of 9 million baht on helping the unemployed.

He advised anyone out of work to contact their local Tambon Administration Organization or Municipality office to register as a government worker.

Yaowalak Yangyuen, the Chief of Phuket Social Security Office (PSSO), said, “Since December we have paid out around 6.8 million baht in benefits for unemployed people.”

She added that those made jobless by the tsunami who registered with the PSSO would be entitled to receive unemployment benefit for six months.

--The Phuket Gazette 2005-03-16

[phuketrichard]

Expect those number to go way up as we enter the low season soon here in Phuket. With occupancy droping yet again employees will be laid off until Nov.

[Tornado]

The majority are not from Phuket anyway, let all the riff raff go back up north

I personally think that Phuket is alive and kicking once again, its very busy everywhere

[alex100]

The riff raff that you refer to are in the main the Thai people who have invested their lives in making a Phuket and every other resort in Thailand a success in the past. Many lost everything included members of their families in the disaster - to refer to them as riff raff is in the least insensitive and in the main offensive. Kick your brain into gear before you post.

[jonik]

By my calcutation all the victims familys should be millionares by now.

[Tornado]

The riff raff that you refer to are in the main the Thai people who have invested their lives in making a Phuket and every other resort in Thailand a success in the past. Many lost everything included members of their families in the disaster - to refer to them as riff raff is in the least insensitive and in the main offensive. Kick your brain into gear before you post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your actually wrong on this one alex.

Your talking about Phuketians, I wasnt.

[alex100]

The riff raff that you refer to are in the main the Thai people who have invested their lives in making a Phuket and every other resort in Thailand a success in the past. Many lost everything included members of their families in the disaster - to refer to them as riff raff is in the least insensitive and in the main offensive. Kick your brain into gear before you post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your actually wrong on this one alex.

Your talking about Phuketians, I wasnt.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The cousin and 8 year old neice I lost in the disaster were not from Phuket they were from up north she used to work in the Patong Bay Garden Resort the people you like to refer to as riff raff again are in the main the people that make up the bulk of workers the make the Thai tourist industry many working away from home to make it happen your remarks remain offensive.