A crane collapse at the steel construction site (2) of a factory under construction by Sin Ker Yuan Co. Ltd in Rayong’s Pluak Daeng district killed seven people, including six Myanmar nationals and one Chinese national, and initial compensation has been paid for the victims with a guarantee to pay the remaining amounts in three months, said an activist involved in helping Myanmar migrants in Thailand. Fearing that full compensation won’t be paid, protesting workers blocked the rescue team from carrying the bodies after the accident happened at around 3:30 pm on 29 March.
“There was a precedent that the employer didn’t pay the full compensation. So, there was a blockade by the workers. A final agreement was reached around midnight. The first tranche of 500,000 baht will be paid immediately to each Myanmar victim, and the remaining 1.1 million baht will be paid over the next three months,” he said.
It is not yet known how to communicate with all the bereaved families who are entitled to this compensation in the accident.
“There are many workers at the worksite. And the dead victims are known to be legal workers,” he added.
Many Myanmar migrants have gone to Thailand to work, and the activists are also negotiating with the relevant authorities about the rights of illegal Myanmar workers in Thailand. — Htet Oo Maung/ZN/ED
