Groups urge incentive plan to reduce drinking by labourers

By The Nation

Most lowincome breadwinners spend 22 per cent of their salary on alcohol, which is not only a huge financial loss for their families but has other consequences, including domestic abuse, according to a survey by the Friends of Women Foundation.

Drinking also results in lower proficiency at work, as well as accidents resulting in injuries or deaths, said Serm Phoonphanich, a leader of a network of antialcohol groups coordinated by the foundation and the socalled White Factories Network, at a meeting yesterday with Labour Ministry officials.

The groups called for the ministry's campaign against drug use in factories to include the alcohol issue as an indicator for upgrading and recognising participating factories. Any factories whose male workers are found to have cut back on drinking should be recognised and given incentives by the ministry, in addition to their credentials as a drugfree workplace, Serm said.

At Otani Tyre Co, male workers' absentee rates were lower and their disciplinary records improved after the foundation launched a campaign to encourage family members to spend time together through worship or recreation after work, to change male workers' habit of drinking regularly and heavily as in the past.

This campaign, prompted by the study that found most of them spent 22 per cent of their pay on drink, is regarded a success and used as a success story to promote the foundation's campaign elsewhere.

"Although the foundation's campaign cannot completely eliminate drinking among male workers, there is no more afterwork drinking and their disciplinary records are better [at Otani Tyre]. And the average household income has increased," Serm said.

-- The Nation 2011-03-05

200 bht a day. 20% 40bht.

280 bht a week. They can get well and truly stoncked on that every day of the week.

Would concur if it were factual. The labourers we employ on casual rates get 500-1000 baht a day for jobs under 3 weeks and monthly rates for carpenters and painters etc on long jobs, 10,000-15,000 average per month (we provide accommodation and per diems). 20% of that on a daily basis is not even worth considering unless this article is referring to labourers in some fantastical project paying upwards of 30,000 a month to 'labourers'. However, 20% of these menial wages will impact families and the article has 'some' (even if little) merit.

But with this 'huge' disposable income - most of the guys we see but a bottle of whiskey between 4 of them and drink it very thin with soda. I would not say a bottle of Pipers weekly from the 'Seven' at 390 Baht is a big spend per head. Ditto - the majority like a beer and buy a tall neck daily - so not a great deal. I have not seen it impact my work in lost ability or accidents either. Maybe I am lucky. Quite often I buy a slab as a thank you. It all depends how you treat your workers. Some drink to forget!

Good idea with this scheme. Can we implement it in the first instance with the RTP?