Eastern labour network protests new Labour Relations Bill

The Eastern Relation of Labour Group staged a protest caravan on Sunday (28 August) to demonstrate against the new Labour Relations bill. The group was intercepted by police and and a group of unidentified men who damaged their cars.

The caravan left from the Map Yang Phon Market in Rayong and was supposed to end at the Ministry of Labour Office in Chonburi, where participants planned to submit a petition opposing the new Labour Relations Bill being drafted by the Office of the Council of State.

According to a group spokesperson, the bill places restrictions on labour unions, increasing the risk of that employers will abuse workers.  Rather than expanding legal protection for workers and labour unions, the bill reduces penalties for employers who violate labour laws from imprisonment to fines. It also gives labour department directors the authority to decide all matters related to unions, work condition agreements, and the resolution of labour disputes.

Police officers followed the caravan as it move away from Burapha University, where protesters gave speeches about unfair wages, work conditions for student workers, and tuition fee issues. When it arrived at Bang Saen Sai 2 Road, police officers stopped the caravan, searched the vehicles, and tried to get protesters to remove banners and stickers bearing the expression “Fuck Prayut,” a reference to the now-suspended Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, from their cars.   After a delay, the caravan was eventually allowed to continue.

A group of unidentified men on motorcycles hitting the cars participating in the caravan.

However, en route to the Ministry office, the caravan was approached by a group of 20-30 men on motorcycles. The men used pieces of metal to hit cars in the caravan, damaging vehicle bodies and breaking windows. Two people received minor injuries from the broken glass.   Reporters from the local online outlet Dot Easterners also said they were threatened.

The Eastern Relation of Labour Group later posted pictures of the attackers on their Facebook page.  License plates of the motorcycles involved had been removed. The group condemned the attack, which they speculated was meant to stop the protest.  They also called on police to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Damages to participants' cars

As a result of the attack, protesters were unable to reach the ministry office.  Instead, their petition was received at the scene of the assault by a representative of Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin.

Suchart later told Voice TV that he sent his secretary to receive the petition after learning of the incident. He also said that he did not know why the protesters were attacked or who the attackers were.  He speculated that some locals may have been unhappy with the group for protesting and said that “residents of Chonburi want peace, not demonstrations and mobs. We don’t have mobs here."

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