Page 121 - Dignity and justice for all of us our voices are heard in Thailand

Article 24

“The government must increase efforts and expertise
in the area of welfare as well as promote awareness

of this right in every sector”

Commentary

Professor Surichai Hwankaew
Associate Professor Surichai Hwankaew, The case of the two young sisters can be seen
Director of the Social Research Institute, as far worse because they are minors who
Chulalongkorn University, notes that Article should have been at school rather than
24 of the Universal Declaration of Human working in the first place, he says. But theirs is
Rights aims to ensure that workers can enjoy not an isolated case. In some cases, children
time for rest and leisure. He believes that the are even forced to flee from their family
economic system is depriving workers of this homes because they cannot cope with the
invaluable right because they feel compelled burden of work and responsibility imposed on
to sacrifice their leisure and rest time due to them at such a young age. In a previous era,
fear of losing their jobs. people could rely on informal networks of
support and mutual assistance within the
He recounts the case of a manufacturing community. Today, however, bonds within
company in Thailand that can be seen as an communities are dying out. This situation
example of the challenges that workers face affects particularly the poor, unskilled workers,
to enjoy this fundamental right. In this and migrant workers, Professor Hwankaew
company, workers were forced to work explains.
overtime. When labour problems arose,
workers refused to work overtime and Thailand has made great efforts to eradicate
demanded fringe benefits. In response, the child labour as well as to protect workers
company threatened to replace them with through imposing a limitation on working
newly recruited workers if they failed to hours, entitlement to national holidays, sick
observe the corporate overtime rules, leave and annual leave and provisions on
effectively disregarding the fact that overtime benefits and fairness at work. The Labour Act
work should be voluntary. of 1998 was amended for the third time in

Our Voices are Heard in Thailand 109