The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) plans to discuss with industry and labour ministers today a clearer blueprint for the vaccination of factory workers, who face significant risk of contracting Covid-19.
FTI also plans to ask the government to sign agreements with neighbouring countries to import more migrant workers into Thailand, which needs around 500,000, according to the group.
FTI plans to buy Sinopharm vaccines from Chulabhorn Royal Academy while the Social Security Office is going ahead with its vaccine rollout for workers under Section 33 of the Social Security Act.
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) is arranging venues for inoculation inside its industrial estates.
"The vaccination should cover 100% of workers in the manufacturing sector," said FTI vice-chairman Kriengkrai Thiennukul.
He said the target should be different from the government's goal to distribute 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to cover at least 70% of population.
Thailand's latest and biggest outbreak has begun to deal a blow to industrial sectors, with more clusters of new infections reported. It is feared that this will affect manufacturing and dampen business confidence.
FTI chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree warned on Wednesday that exports, enjoying bright prospects due to the global economic recovery, could be the next sector affected by the pandemic.
"Exports are a main driver of the economy," said Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, stressing a need to better protect factory workers against the virus.
Other countries have sped up mass vaccination to control the spread of the virus. This is key to restoring the economy, said Mr Suriya.
Mr Suriya instructed IEAT to organise venues for the administration of vaccines and work with factories in order to prevent new infections.
IEAT governor Veeris Ammarapala said on Monday officials plan to initially use the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate office in Rayong for this purpose.