Government to help workers, business operators hit by Red Shirt rallies

BANGKOK, April 26 (TNA) – Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij on Monday said after an economic cabinet meeting that urgent measures to help workers and business operators affected by the anti-government ‘Red Shirt’ protest at Ratchaprasong and earlier at Phan Fa on Ratchadamnoen Avenue were discussed.

The measures will be given to the Cabinet for consideration on Tuesday.

The anti-government ‘Red Shirt’ United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) had demonstrated at Phan Fa bridge since March 14 and concurrently rallied at Ratchaprasong since April 3 before combining the protest at Ratchaprasong, a prime business and tourist district.

Mr Korn said in an attempt to solve the liquidity problem due to business closing in Ratchaprasong, the economic cabinet proposed to extend payment deadline for Cooperate Income Tax as well as other kinds of tax such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), Withholding Tax and Building and Land Tax for 180 days for protest-hit entrepreneurs.

The economic cabinet team will liaise with the Small-and Medium-Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand to offer low-interest loans to affected business operators with overall credit lines of Bt5 billion, Mr Korn said.

Initially, 2,000 small enterprises could request loans, he said.

Regarding financial aid for employees, the minister admitted that the government could not extend helping hand to all people who were affected from the protest.

He affirmed that private sector companies who sponsored or supported the Red Shirt rally would not receive any assistance from the government.

Prime Minister’s Office vice-minister Puttipong Punnakan, said that the assistance packages to employees would divide into three groups of workers, i.e. those unemployed due to the protest, those with fixed income but mostly from sales or commission, and the group who are employed but must alternate days off and reduce salary.

He said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva urged all agencies to conclude the measures as the employers and employees impacted by the Red Shirt protest could get the assistance by May.

Initially, some 2,500 workers in malls and major hotels with average salaries of Bt15,000, Mr Puttipong said, and vendors were also affected by the demonstration.

The government advised other affected persons to register for help at the Ministry of Labour, he said.

In its initial assessment, the protest had caused Bt50 billion damage and affected Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 0.64 per cent, he said. (TNA)