Workers Want B5,000 for 3 Months

BANGKOK, Jan 26 (TNA) – A group of workers rallied at Government House to demand the government hand out 5,000 baht to all workers during a period of three months. At the rally, representatives of a Network of Workers for People Rights said that the Rao Chana (We Win) financial assistance scheme of the government did not address the hardships of workers. They came to Government House for the second round. On Jan 18, they sent an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to demand assistance for 11 million workers who are in the Social Security system and are not eligible for the We Win financial aid introduced to help people affected by COVID-19. The network said that the financial aid that the government transferred via an application instead of handing out cash could not help the workers who needed money to pay their debts and house rents. Many workers either were laid off, were forced to leave without pay or had their wages cut amid the second wave of COVID-19, the network said. It proposed the government give unconditional assistance to all workers and not require people to register for the aid. The network said the government should hand out 5,000 baht to all workers in three months and if it cannot afford the help, it can divert budgets from the armed forces and raise taxes on the rich. (TNA)