Thai workers in Israel eligible for compensation from both Thailand and Israel: Labour Ministry
Thai workers who have been affected by the Hamas-led attack on two Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip will be compensated by both Israel and Thailand, the Labour Ministry said on Tuesday.
Phairoj Chotikasatien, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said the Labour Ministry has set up a war room to follow up on the conflict in Israel as well as keep the families of victims and the public informed.
He said Thai workers affected by the unrest will receive life insurance premiums in Israel, while the injured will be provided free treatment until they recover.
In Thailand, those who fall under the fund for assisting workers overseas will receive compensation.
Those who have been injured will get 15,000 baht per person, 30,000 baht per person in case of disability, and 40,000 baht per person in case of death, he explained.
He added that the compensation will be adjusted in line with the workers’ injuries and occupational risks as the regulations were adopted many years ago.
Phairoj said Kittana Srisuriya, the minister counsellor for labour affairs at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, has met 249 Thai workers at an Israeli campsite.
He said there are workers who want to return to Thailand and those who want to stay in Israel due to fears of being unemployed.
The Labour Ministry will cooperate with the Foreign Ministry on bringing Thai workers back to Thailand, he said, adding that those who do not want to return will be allowed to work in the safe zone.
He added that the ministry will help workers who want to return to Thailand undergo physical check-ups and return to their hometown.
Meanwhile, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on labour, Saritpong Kiewkong, voiced concerns about Thai workers and their families, especially those working in Israel illegally.
“We are also concerned about how they will be taken care of after returning to Thailand, as well as when they return to Israel and the relevant compensation,” he said.
He added that the committee will cooperate with the Foreign Ministry to help families of Thai workers who have been killed in the conflict.
