Cabinet approval for use of Section 44 to be sought to ease labour problems

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said he will on Tuesday (July 4) submit a proposal for the cabinet to approve the use of Section 44 of the 2014 interim charter to solve problems over migrant workers.

 

Gen Prawit said this before presiding over a meeting of the committee for solving problems over migrant workers and human-trafficking on Monday morning.

 

He said under the proposal, Section 44 of the previous interim charter, which has been carried over to the current constitution, would delay for 120 days the enforcement of Sections 102, 102 and 122 of an executive decree which aims to raise recruitment and management standards and avoid accusations by the international community of abuse and human trafficking.

 

The delay would take effect retroactively from June 23, when the decree was issued.

 

The three sections concern harsher punishments for both civil and criminal wrongdoing associated with the hiring of illegal migrant workers, with fines ranging from 400,000 to 800,000 baht.

 

Gen Prawit said he was not concerned that the ongoing exodus of undocumented migrant workers to their home countries would cause a problem on labour shortage.  The migrant workers are returning home to prepare documents so that they can be lawfully registered for work in Thailand, he added.

 

He said about 8,000 migrant workers had returned to their countries.

 

Sangworn Liptapanlop, president of the Thai Construction Association, said the decree had considerably affected the construction industry.  He said about 90% of the labour force in the construction sector are migrant workers.

 

Full Story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/cabinet-approval-use-section-44-sought-ease-labour-problems/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-7-3

1 minute ago, snoop1130 said:

The migrant workers are returning home to prepare documents so that they can be lawfully registered for work in Thailand, he added.

The reason that they are not already lawfully registered is because the companies do not want to  give the workers any benefits or holiday pay. 

31 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Gen Prawit said he was not concerned that the ongoing exodus of undocumented migrant workers to their home countries would cause a problem on labour shortage

 

What utter nonsense.If he was not concerned, then why delay the implementation? It is not convincing at all.

 

This situation is caused by having access to the all-powerful section 44. When you have that kind of power, it inevitably leads to arrogance in its use.As the old saying goes," absolute power corrupts absolutely".

 

Thailand desperately needs to get back to some kind of regular order where laws are introduced, commented on, and deliberated on. It may be slow, one may not always get what they want, but it works.

 

There is a reason that public policy making follows a general set of rules, and this situation is a perfect example of WHY that process exists.

 

 

^ +1

 

Created some new laws or  started enforcing old ones.  Then they come to find it disrupted the economy, fishing industry.  Now they need to use A44 to fix a problem they started.  Prayut and Prawit should run for office once they allow it of course.  Just wondering if the Thai people are actually paying attention to what is going on.  They certainly are paying the price.    

Cabinet approval needed, eh?  Well, that should be quite the nail biter.  I can hardly stand the suspense. 

8 hours ago, stubuzz said:

The reason that they are not already lawfully registered is because the companies do not want to  give the workers any benefits or holiday pay. 

I would be happy to pay, but the labour law (for a Lao person) is so difficult... I tried 2 times including Thai-lawyer and I had to give up. For me it was impossible to get the correct papers for this Lao person. 

Seems bass ackwards to me.  They should delay the implementation of of deporting the workers to give them time to get their papers in order but immediately impose the heavy fines on the people that are enabling the problem!!

What a mess.