Most Thai firms meet labour safety standards

BANGKOK, June 20 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Labour's Department of Labour Protection and Welfare says its latest inspection found that most business firms nationwide have safety measures for their workers which meet legal standards. Labour Protection and Welfare Department Acting Director-General Arthit Isamo acknowledged his department's inspection from October 2012-May 2013 found that 94 per cent of 10,788 firms, probed nationwide on the random basis, passed the official assessment in terms of labour safety standards. Arthit noted that Thailand's statistics on casualties at workplaces have stood at 4.6 per cent per 1,000 workers annually, comparable with those in most other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), although Singapore has recorded the lowest work-related casualties. The labour protection and welfare department acting chief said, however, that his department has targeted to further reduce casualties at workplaces from 4.6 per cent currently to 2 per cent per 1,000 workers annually and, eventually, to zero per cent in the future. As part of attempts to meet the ambitious targets, the senior official told reporters that his department will organise a national work-safety week, the 27th of its kind, at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) from July 3-5, 2013, aimed to promote awareness of all parties concerned on safety at workplaces. Besides, academic seminars on Thailand's preparations for the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC) by 2015, covering those concerning hazardous chemicals, and relevant exhibitions, covering those on labour safety laws, new technologies and innovations in the labour sector, will also be organised as part of the forthcoming national work-safety week. (TNA)