Govt urged to extend labour law to maids

Labour laws need amending to help 400,000 housemaids who are being neglected despite the huge economic contribution they make, a seminar has been told.

Sumet Ritthakanee, chairman of the House committee on labour, said housemaids were not adequately protected under the labour law.

Mr Sumet yesterday told a seminar on the rights of domestic helpers that many were subjugated and taken advantage of by their employers.

They have no access to state welfare even though they generate 27 billion baht for the economy each year, he said, citing estimates from the Kasikorn Research Centre.

He insisted the maids were fully entitled to better legal protection and welfare.

He said they were largely underpaid, face gruelling working conditions and, in some cases, suffer sexual harassment at the hands of their employers.

Mr Sumet said maids' working conditions could be improved by amending laws related to the compensation and labour protection fund.

Bundit Panwiset, head of the foreign labour advocate network, said the government should amend the 1998 Labour Protection Act to give helpers better legal protection and allow them to acquire labour skills training.

Maids should have a safe and clean working environment, work no more than eight hours a day and no under-age helpers could be hired, he said.

Suchin Buakhao, a domestic helper for 10 years, said she worked 14 hours a day, seven days a week and was not paid whenever she took leave. "The work is very tough," Ms Suchin said.

"I have to serve not only the employer's house but also the house of his siblings. I wish I could have a day off."

She earns 4,500 baht a month and buys most of her food and drinking water. Her employer gives her only rice to eat. When she is sick, she pays her own medical bills.

A Tai Yai ethnic maid, who declined to be named, said she had to put up with sexual harassment.

Her present employer pays her 2,500 baht a month. But she has no days off and gets abused when she asks for leave to see her relatives.