Ceramic Factory Lays Off 200 Workers Over Falling Orders
A ceramic factory in Nakhon Phanom laid off 200 workers starting September 7 due to declining foreign orders and global economic pressures, with compensation payments still pending as affected families struggle financially.
Labour officials from Nakhon Phanom province visited the ceramic factory on September 16 to meet workers affected by the mass layoff. The company cited sustained drops in foreign orders, global economic conditions, US trade tariffs, and international tensions as reasons for the closure. Daily workers were laid off effective September 7, while monthly staff layoffs take effect September 30. The company continues regular wage payments but has not set a date for compensation payments, leaving many workers worried about their benefits.
Kraset, 45, a former employee representative, said he and his wife earned a combined 18,000-19,000 baht monthly but the company stopped paying wages in early August. With ongoing expenses for utilities, food, and a car loan, the family has depleted savings and now grows long beans and cucumbers to sell at markets for survival. He called on authorities to speed up wage and severance payments to laid-off workers.
The Nakhon Phanom Employment Office has opened jobless registrations to provide access to social security benefits under Article 33, offering unemployed workers 50 percent of their wages for up to six months. The office is also preparing available job positions at various businesses to help workers quickly return to employment.
