Phichit Singthongkam of the Phuket Provincial Recruitment Working Group, under the Phuket Employment office, said officials were monitoring the situation in Israel.
“We have received requests for assistance from six Thai workers: two living in Phuket, one registered as living in Sakon Nakhon Province, one from Sisaket Province, one from Udon Thani and one from Lampang,” Mr Phichit said.
“We have coordinated with relevant agencies to take action to provide further help, as five of them had requested financial assistance from the Phuket Provincial Employment Office, of whom one has already received money,” he added.
Of the claims filed for assistance filed with the Phuket Provincial Labour Office, three claims requested payment of accrued wages or compensation in the case of being laid off, four claims were for travel expenses and two claims requested money for employment services from an Israeli employment agency, Mr Phichit explained.
Two claims were filed with the Phuket Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office requesting financial assistance for people experiencing emergency social problems and two claims were filed with the Phuket Provincial Justice Office requesting assistance with debt problems, he said.
“In addition, the centre has provided information on applying for a loan under the Thai Local Worker Loan Project from the Bank for Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Government Savings Bank,” Mr Phichit said.
The centre has followed up on the progress of providing assistance to all six people, he added.
Keng Onlamoon is waiting for job placement results from the Southern Engineering Management and Skills Development Association (Engineering Management Association) and his wife Ms Patkharasri Manon is undergoing a 30-hour professional barista skills course at the Skill Development Institute 21 Phuket branch which concludes today (Nov 10).
Tantiphon Mala is now working as a hotel employee as a porter, Teeraphong Phimsuwan is working as a hotel employee as a general technician and Natthaporn Hongsa is waiting to start work on Nov16 as an electrical system technician, Mr Phichit said.
Phongphisanu Thepsena has borrowed money under the Thai Workers Loan Project to use for a personal business by opening a shop selling drinks and Burin Inthasaen is working at a restaurant, Mr Phichit added.
“The centre is continuing to provide assistance to workers and is monitoring the situation in Israel,” Mr Phichit said.
“We would like Thai workers returning from the State of Israel who want to receive help to contact the Labour Assistance Center, located at the Phuket Provincial Labour Office on the second floor of Phuket Provincial Hall, or call to us at 076-354035-6 or 084-8619496,” he noted.