Workers submit demands to Thai PM

BANGKOK, April 19 (TNA) - Thailand's two powerful labour groups have submitted six demands to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha before the upcoming International Labour Day on May 1. Wilaiwan Tia, Chairwoman of the Thai Labour Reconciliation Committee, told journalists on Tuesday that the six demands include a call for the government to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No.87 and 98 on workers' freedom of expression and negotiations. Wilaiwan said other demands call for the Thai government to stop privatisation of state enterprises and to issue a law concerning the development of state enterprises, as earlier demanded by workers, as well as to resolve problems concerning violations of workers’ rights, increase daily minimum wage to 360 baht, from 300 baht now, reform the social security system so that it could become more transparent and increase advantages to members and establish a labour bank for labourers. Wilaiwan noted that workers have demanded for more than a decade for the Thai government to ratify the ILO Convention No.87 and 98, but no progress has been made. For demand for the Thai government to raise the daily minimum wage, Wilaiwan opined that workers should receive an equal wage nationwide even though the government could not bow to their 360 baht-a day demand. Wilaiwan urged the Thai government to meet the workers' demands by May 1, as a gift for them. (TNA)