Riders on this platform demand improved compensation and benefits.
Rewritten Article:
Digital platform riders in Thailand should be labeled as company employees, not informal workers, according to an academic from Thammasat University.
Assistant Professor Kritsada Theerakosonphong, a Thammasat University Faculty of Social Administration lecturer, argued that these riders are wrongly classified as "semi-independent" workers in a draft freelance labor bill.
Semi-independent workers, like platform riders, are one of the two types of informal workers in this draft law, added the professor, who is also a member of a Social Security system development subcommittee. The other type is the "independent worker," which refers to individuals without employers, examples being farmers who own their land, street vendors, and motorcycle taxi drivers.
Professor Kritsada stated that the definition of platform delivery riders in the draft law would hinder them from acquiring work benefits and push them out of the formal labor system. Despite functioning as company employees, they are not recognized as such and face work-related risks such as road accidents, he explained.
The academic's comments followed criticism from a labor network, which submitted an open letter to Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on April 18, expressing concerns about the bill.
The bill, which has been in development before the pandemic, is pending cabinet approval, said the professor.
"It's clear that semi-independent workers, like platform riders, are not truly independent. They're at high risk of road accidents, yet companies take no responsibility to protect them because they're labeled as freelancers," he pointed out.
In the broader context, digital platform riders in Thailand are currently categorized as semi-independent workers under the draft freelance labor bill. This classification overlooks their working conditions and responsibilities that resemble those of traditional employees. The debate centers on the misalignment between their legal classification and their functional role in the digital economy.
For instance, platform riders often adhere to stringent rules, wear uniforms, and face significant work-related risks like road accidents. These conditions are akin to those of traditional company employees, implying they should be treated as such for social security purposes.
Moreover, the current classification restricts their access to work benefits and protections typically afforded to company employees. This includes employer-provided social security coverage, crucial for their protection against occupational hazards.
- Technology, being a critical tool for digital platform riders, does not alleviate the risks they face as they are incorrectly classified as informal workers, despite their job responsibilities resembling traditional employees.
- Education-and-self-development is vital for digital platform riders, as understanding their rights and advocating for fairer treatment in the workforce could lead to improved employment conditions and access to benefits, moving them away from the category of informal workers.
