Unemployment in Thailand could increase by more than 10 million people over the next two to three months if the coronavirus pandemic drags on warned the private sector.
The President of the Federation of Thai Industries, Supant Mongkolsuthee, said that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Thailand are extremely vulnerable in the current climate that could result in huge numbers of staff being laid off in the coming months.
Mongkolsuthee warned that if the Thai Government did not step in to help SMEs immediately, layoffs will be inevitable.
He called for the government to pay 50 percent of the 15,000 baht minimum monthly wage, a system that has been implemented in many western countries.
According to his plan, SMEs would contribute 25 percent of the wages, the government would contribute 50 percent of the wages, and staff would forego the remaining 25 percent in exchange for working hours being cut in half to eight hours per day.
Implementing this plan would save in excess of 10 million jobs across Thailand according to Mongkolsuthee.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce Chairman, Kalin Sarasin, said that up to 7 million workers have been laid off since the pandemic began.
Source: Thai PBS
