Chon Buri governor urged to order hotels to close so staff can collect social security

The Eastern Hotel Association is urging the governor of Chon Buri to order all hotels in the province to close, so that staff can be eligible for social security payments. Prien Sae Ku, president of the EHA, says that as the province is currently considered “high risk” and people from other provinces are unable to enter without just cause, hotels should be closed until the situation improves, as was done last year. He says the forced closure of Chon Buri’s hotels would make staff eligible for government benefits, pointing out that the neighbouring province of Chanthaburi has ordered hotels to close for this reason.

Employees affected by workplace closures due to Covid-19 are eligible to receive 50% of their daily salary from the government. However, The Pattaya News reports that there is currently no such assistance on offer to casual workers impacted by the resurgence of the virus.

Prien says the average hotel worker would receive approximately 7,500 baht a month if hotels were forced to shut their doors. Many have done so of their own accord, due to occupancy rates in Pattaya and Chon Buri being practically at zero as a result of the current restrictions on entry to the province. The EHA says its member hotels are very reluctant to let staff go and would prefer to be in a position to keep them on. Some are already helping workers by providing them with free rooms and food.

The deputy governor of Chon Buri, Naris Niramaiwong, has confirmed receipt of Prien’s proposal and says he will review it with the governor.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News