Most businesses in Thailand perform normally

BANGKOK, August 1 (TNA) - The Ministry of Labour reports that most businesses in Thailand are performing normally, thanks to the recovering national economy in the wake of a military intervention on May 22, 2014 to maintain peace and order. Suvit Sumala, Deputy Director-General of the ministry’s Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, told journalists of the positive prospect on Friday. Suvit acknowledged, however, that certain businesses, namely those producing electronic automobile parts and electrical appliances, are still cutting their production and overtime work in order to cope with impacts from a global economic slowdown, enable them to compete in the international trade and prepare themselves for the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Consequently, Suvit pointed out, several subcontracting firms in Thailand have reduced the number of their employees to cut their operational costs, citing, for examples, that a factory producing auto parts in Bangkok's neighbouring Samut Sakhon Province has terminated about 800 workers and another factory producing electronic parts has also laid off some 600 workers although both have paid compensation to their employees under the Labour Law. According to official statistics, there are now about 300,000 workers hired by subcontracting firms in Thailand. (TNA)