Govt to help workers who left jobs in Thailand

Workers who have returned to Laos after leaving jobs in Thailand as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak will receive help from the government in finding new employment.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has asked the Departments of Labour and Social Welfare in each province and Vientiane to compile information from village authorities about the number of people who have returned after the Covid-19 outbreak meant they had to leave  Thailand.

Director of the Vientiane Department of Labour and Social Welfare, Mrs Lamphoy Si Akkhachanh, on Tuesday informed the media about this process and the course of action proposed by the ministry.
The ministry has instructed Labour and Social Welfare Departments around the country to work with local authorities in providing detailed information about the number of people who need assistance. 
It is hoped that returning workers can find jobs with Lao businesses and receive appropriate training before taking up new employment.
Labour officials are compiling figures on the number of workers returning to Laos from Thailand between March 24 and May 30. Mrs Lamphoy said the current number was estimated at 79,208, of whom at least 2,000 are living in Vientiane. This figure was provided by the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.
The information collected will detail the number of people who are now unemployed. The figure is expected to be high because many businesses have closed temporarily while the threat posed by Covid-19 persists.
The figures will be submitted to the government so that solutions can be considered and people provided with new jobs where possible.
Mrs Lamphoy called on everyone involved to make sure that all workers were registered and received the help they needed.
Labour and Social Welfare Departments throughout the country are also gathering information on the jobs available in each province and in Vientiane.  
Departments will provide supporting programmes for people wanting to work on a freelance basis or be self-employed, as well as those who hope to find more work in other countries when the situation improves.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update May 13, 2020)