Thai workers protest as factory closes over strong baht
Afp, Bangkok
Almost 5,000 Thai textile workers protested outside factories Wednesday after they were laid off by a company that closed due a drop in orders blamed on the strong Thai currency, labour officials said. The workers showed up for their jobs early Wednesday only find a notice saying that their employer, the Thai Silp South East Asia Export and Import Co Ltd, had gone out of business. The workers spent the day protesting on the road outside the factories to demand that labour authorities step in, said Suthep Aunsamai, deputy head of the government's Labour Protection and Welfare agency. "There are a total of 4,950 workers from its three plants laid off this morning. Most are women," Suthep said. The company produced brand name clothes for export, but said that it had closed after orders dropped due to the baht's rapid rise against the dollar this year, another Labour Ministry official said. "They said they had suffered a cumulative loss after their orders dropped due to the strong baht," the official said. Suthep said he was in contact with the factory's Thai owner to negotiate compensation for the laidoff workers, who will receive government help to find other jobs.
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