The Thai Cabinet has recently reviewed a series of proactive initiatives aimed at assisting Thai workers currently in Israel and encouraging them to return to Thailand.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made an official announcement regarding the government’s commitment to providing support for Thai workers in Israel, given the growing challenges in the region. The government strongly advises Thai citizens to consider returning to their home country. To facilitate this, the administration has introduced a range of assertive measures, including offering a compensation package of 50,000 baht and extending low-interest, long-term loans not exceeding 150,000 baht.
Government Spokesperson Chai Watcharong revealed that the Cabinet has granted approval for a loan program designed to assist in the repatriation of Thai workers from Israel. This program comes with a substantial budget of 2 billion baht, with the Government Savings Bank and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives each providing 1 billion baht. These loans will have a reasonable 3% interest rate, of which the government will subsidize 2%, while workers will bear the remaining 1%. The loans will be repayable over a 20-year period, and applications will be accepted until June 30th of the following year.
In addition to the loan program, the government is planning to offer an additional relief fund of 50,000 baht for each returning worker, which is in addition to the previously mentioned 15,000 baht. This proposal is scheduled to be officially presented during the next Cabinet meeting. Furthermore, there is an ongoing discussion about a potential debt relief program for workers with outstanding debts of up to 150,000 baht. Specific details regarding this program will be addressed in a forthcoming Cabinet meeting. (NNT)
