Any people in Phuket still waiting to receive support payments from the SSO should receive them within the next 15 days “if there are no new registered people”, he said.
Mr Todsapol explained that he was in Phuket to inspect the work of the Phuket SSO, and help the Phuket office expedite processing applications, reported NNT.
“A lot of people are still waiting for the relief funds,” he said.
Present to welcome Mr Todsapol to Phuket were new Phuket SSO Chief Phinit Phudchaitu and Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW) Phuket Office Chief Wiang Suwanna.
“I came to inspect the working and management of the Phuket office, as I was informed that around 100,000 people registered to receive relief funds as they have been affected by the economic impact of COVID-19,” Mr Todsapol said.
“Every day, around 1,000 people come to the office to register. One thousand people per day is the highest number in Thailand,” he added.
“The Minister of Labour cares about people and wants them to receive the funds as soon as possible, so we ordered officers from the central office [in Bangkok] and from other provinces to help the officers in Phuket to help process applications faster,” Mr Todsapol explained.
“To contact us, we have our hotline 1506 and 330 officers on hand to receive your calls. I have to be honest that you may have to wait a long time, as the number of calls each day is about 20 times more than usual,” he added.
Mr Todsapol today pointed out that people who have had their applications may file an appeal.
“I want to inform you that we are willing to help, and every person will receive the relief funds,” he said.
Mr Todsapol also explained that around 1.3 million people throughout the country have registered to receive relief payments from the SSO
“Around 1.2mn people have already received funds, while the rest, around 90,000, are still waiting,” he added.
Mr Todsapol’s visit today follows staffers from the entertainment district centred on Bangla Rd in Patong now out of work, and without any income, due to the COVID-19 restrictions protesting in front of the Social Security Office in Kathu last week over unpaid relief funds from the government that had never arrived.
Their demands focused on relief funds promised by the government to which the workers are entitled to under Section 33 of the Social Security Act. Section 33 of the act stipulates that people forced to stop working through no fault of their own are to be given 62% of their daily wages based on a maximum monthly salary of B15,000 for a maximum of 90 days.