A network of domestic workers is urging the government to ratify the International Labour Organization's (ILO's) Convention 189 to better protect their rights, as the Ministry of Labour prepares to amend its regulations to meet international standards.
Malee Soblek, chairwoman of the Domestic Workers Network of Thailand, said labour regulations are still not up to international standards, so there is an urgent need to push the government to endorse ILO Convention 189 to ensure domestic workers' rights are protected.
Ms Malee was speaking at a discussion forum titled "10 Years of Waiting for Domestic Workers' Rights Protection", which was held by the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion on the International Day for Domestic Workers recently.
In addition to having the same protection as workers in other fields, such as inclusion in the government's social security schemes, domestic workers' right to take care of their dependents -- including the right to take maternity leave -- must be protected.
She said domestic workers will be better protected if the government ratifies ILO C189, as it offers a standardised list of domestic workers' rights which need to be assured by their employers.
Domestic workers will continue to push for insurance coverage under Section 33 of the Social Security Act, which will accord them a welfare safety net that is equal to workers in other fields.
Adisorn Kerdmongkol, manager of the Migrant Working Group, said many domestic workers in Thailand are migrant workers from Myanmar who came through unofficial pathways, so there is no clear regulation which protects their rights.
"If the Thai government ratifies ILO Convention 189, which has clear regulations intended to protect the rights of domestic workers, it will encourage the Myanmar government to send more domestic workers to work in Thailand through official channels," Mr Adisorn said.
Nuingruthai Petch-air, of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, told a public hearing that the Labour Ministry's amendment to regulations on domestic workers' rights protection will include 10 new updates. They include the setting of a minimum wage, limiting working hours to no more than eight hours per day and prohibiting job termination due to pregnancy.