Thai PM to meet workers on May Day

BANGKOK, April 23 (TNA) - As previous years, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha will meet workers in Bangkok on this year's International Workers' Day on May 1. Labour Minister Police General Adul Sangsingkeo told journalists on April 22 that the Thai prime minister will meet and address workers at the Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center, where events celebrating this year's International Workers' Day, or May Day, will be officially organized by his ministry, in conjunction with employers' and employees' organizations, as well as those of non-formal workers in the country. The minister stated that his ministry has taken actions to meet workers' demands, raised during last year's May Day, including the amendment of labour laws and the observation of the Article 74 of Thailand's present Constitution. Besides, measures to prevent and address labour abuse and human trafficking-related problems have been seriously implemented over the past year, resulting in Thailand's improved status to Tier 2, from Tier 3, in the latest US Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report), to the end of the "yellow card" imposed by the European Union (EU) and to "a highly-successful level" in the management of child labor ranked by Washington for the second consecutive year. The Thai minister acknowledged that his ministry has also implemented measures to upgrade 43,000 employees in the country to become "smart workers", set up the Smart Job Center and launch the Job Box initiative to facilitate more than 600,000 job seekers, along with the ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention (P29) and the Work in Fishing Convention 2007 (C188) of the International Labour Organization and the successful launch of campaigns on the adoption of the Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Thai Labour Standard (TLS) by 7,500 business firms to benefit more than 657,000 workers in the country so far. According to the minister, Thailand, through his ministry, as well as representatives from employees and employers in the country, has signed a plan on the creation of value-added jobs 2019-2022 with the ILO, the first of its kind, during a recent celebration event of the 100th anniversary of the Geneva-based organization. Meanwhile, the Thai Trade Union Congress told reporters that major demands from workers and employees during this year's May Day include the expedition of the ratification of the ILO's Convention 87 and Convention 98 by the Thai government to enhance the bargaining power of workers and to promote the establishment of employees' unions. (TNA)