ILO urges Thailand to seriously protect domestic workers

BANGKOK, March 10 (TNA) - Thailand has successfully imposed a new law to protect the rights of domestic workers in reply to calls from the International Labour Organization (ILO). ILO Gender specialist Nelien Haspels, said government had made good progress in terms of setting the minimum wage, overtime pay, work hours and basic rights including maternal benefits. However, Haspels demanded more measures be taken to protect the rights of children and women workers in Thailand. This includes specifying outright punishment against the abuse of minors, especially those less than 15 years of age. Regardless, Anusorn Kraiwatnusorn, vice minister of labour, said the Thai government had been working hard to comply with the 189th ILO Convention on Domestic Workers that requires equal rights for domestic workers and general workers, saying more measures would definitely be taken in future. (TNA)