Shelter centre model for troubled workers to be opened in Thai Far South

BANGKOK, August 4 (TNA) - Thailand will soon open a modeled sheter centre for workers who face troubles, in Songkhla Province in the Thai Far South, before expanding such the shelter centre to other areas in the country. Permanent Secretary for Labour ML Puntarik Smiti told journalists in Bangkok on Thursday, after opening a public forum on anti-human trafficking in Thailand, that the first shelter centre will be opened at Songkhla's Stella Maris, the provincial welfare and good governance centre for fishery workers. ML Puntarik said that the shelter centre in the compound of the Stella Maris will become a model for such the expanding centre in six other areas in the country in the future, including Koh Samaesarn in seaside Chon Buri Province in the Thai East, as well as Rayong, Samut Prakarn, Trat, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattani Provinces. ML Puntarik revealed that the expanding shelter centre in the six areas will be run by networks of the civil society, but will be supported by his ministry in terms of budget, buildings and other relevant activities. Besides, his ministry will open service centres, jointly run with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), in 10 targeted areas initially to specially assist troubled migrant workers in Thailand, including those in Chiang Mai, Sumut Sakhon, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Samut Prakarn, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Tak and Ranong Provinces. According to the senior official, the plan to set up the service centres have already been approved by the Thai Cabinet. The senior official stated that his ministry has also assisted Thai fishing workers stranded in Indonesia, 1,488 of them have returned to Thailand and 221 of this group of workers have already received their wages and welfare benefits from their employers, worth over 13 million baht, claimed by his ministry on behalf of them. (TNA)