Policy Dialogue on Informal Workers

Bangkok, Thailand

On May 4, 2017, WIEGO, HomeNet Thailand, and the Bangkok Federation of Informal Workers (composed of member-based organizations of home-based workers, domestic workers, motorcycle taxi drivers and street vendors) convened a Policy Dialogue on Informal Workers with representatives from several government ministries. At the meeting, WIEGO and HomeNet Thailand presented findings and recommendations from their participatory study with home-based workers, domestic workers, motorcycle taxi drivers, and street vendors. They received feedback from participants who proposed potential next steps for future collective action.
Key themes and issues discussed included:

• Harassment of motorcycle taxi drivers under the city’s “Return the Pavement” campaign, which is forcing MTDs to pay more for parking
• Housing registration for motorcycle taxi drivers and health care registration for domestic workers 
• Consensus on the need for a database on informal workers
• Policy clarifications regarding Workman’s Compensation under Article 40 Social Security and National Housing Authority, certification of income for housing loans
• Participation by informal workers at district level, through occupational groups and monthly committee meetings