Labour to decide protest compensation today

The Labour Ministry will hold a meeting today to pencil in measures to ease the pain of the redshirt demonstration on businesses and workers.

Labour Minister Paithoon Kaeothong said yesterday Cabinet had approved the assistance parameters with a timeframe of March 14May 31 and coverage for the Rajprasong, Pathum Wan, Silom and Rajdamnoen areas.

The Sukhumvit area, where the red shirts surrounded the prime minister's residence on Soi 31, would also be included.

Among provisions for affected business the Labour Ministry plans to propose to Cabinet is an extension to the time to submit their contributions to the Social Security Fund - for another 180 days.

Employers who had to close offices or shops and had lost income could use the Labour Protection Act of 1998 to pay their employees 75 per cent of their salaries, while the government would help with the remaining 25 per cent.

Since the government would subsidise salaries with a base of up to Bt15,000, the compensation paid would be no more than Bt3,750, so the actual financial assistance in this case would depend on the affected offices' salary bases and the nature of the damage, he added.

Amporn Nitisiri, directorgeneral of the Labour Protection and Welfare Department, said so far 13 employers and 80 workers had requested assistance and compensation for the impact of political rallies.

But no employers from the Rajprasong intersection had filed any request to lay off workers, she said.

Affected businesses should consult the department's officials on the 1546 hotline, she said.