NEWS & EVENTS ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Essential construction works will be allowed to resume in Bangkok and surrounding provinces

Bangkok, February 2021; Image by Ekachai prasertkaew/Shutterstock

Bangkok, 8 July 2021 – Construction projects will be allowed to resume in Thailand’s capital and surrounding provinces. The national COVID-19 task force has agreed to ease the containment measure on essential construction projects such as underground projects, scaffolding and those related to traffic safety, as well as the construction of healthcare facilities.

Thailand has been dealing with its deadliest coronavirus outbreak Since April. The new containment measures, implemented for 30 days from Monday 28 June 2021, cover the Bangkok area and five surrounding provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Praka, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom.

The relaxation in the construction sector is expected to allow essential work to proceed and to prevent engineering problems. However, the workers camps will remain close because clusters in these areas in the capital, which has 575 such sites housing about 81,000 workers, were major sources of transmission. Authorities will also set up checkpoints in Bangkok and the five provinces to limit travel and relocation of construction workers.

To provide comprehensive and continued assistance for the people, the Royal Thai Government has been rolling out economic stimulus packages, which include those for workers in the formal sector; laid-off, insured persons; voluntary and end of contract, insured persons; and workers who are on leave-without-pay due to government instruction to temporarily close down the business.

Source: PR Thai Government; ILO