There are still many workers who do not know the rights they should receive in the construction industry. This is an issue that the real estate industry and society do not pay as much attention as they should in understanding the work of both Thai and migrant workers.
In Thailand, there are 2.7 million construction workers, of which 2.2 million are Thai workers and 500,000 are migrant workers, or 17% of the labor sector (Ministry of Labor information). 200,000 are female migrant workers, the second largest number in the world in the construction sector.
Most of them come from neighboring countries like Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, where they are among the most disenfranchised of their peers.
Legal labor and welfare are issues that can increase costs for employers. But if one considers human rights and believes that all men should be protected it is an issue that every organization in the real estate sector should pay attention to.
Dr. Sarawut Rachasrimuang , director of WVFT, said that the importance of labor rights is consistent with the organization’s drive towards sustainable development, as stipulated by the UN’s SDGs. In 2030, the fact that WVFT has been working for more than 70 years in the field of childcare and has more than 20 years of experience in helping migrant populations through various projects is therefore a good opportunity.
For example, the development of the primary health service for migrants, as well as the possibility of being part of the Migrant Working Group (MWG) network.
Therefore, the Foundation is partnering with Sansiri to identify the root cause of problems in accessing labor rights in the construction sector. This includes rights as workers and human rights based on fundamental international principles. This will be done by visiting workers to conduct a questionnaire and providing preliminary education to contractors and workers to educate on international labor rights and create standards to support the rights of workers and children in construction zones.
