SUICIDE / 17 YEARS WITHOUT A PAY RISE

Dejected worker hangs himself

SUNAND OCHAKHACHORN

Ratchaburi _ A temporary employee at a district hospital in Ratchaburi has killed himself to highlight the plight of workers such as himself, demanding better treatment for them. Kanapan Pantragul, 37, hanged himself on Saturday, leaving a suicide note which read: ''I beg the prime minister, the public health minister and hospital management ... to think of measures to support temporary staff, who have been working for five to 20 years at 5,360 baht a month.''

The note continued: ''We want job security like you. The work that we do every day and until the day we die can never be called temporary.''

Kanapan's mother Somrat, 52, said her son left a well-paid job as a hotel restaurant manager to take up a temporary position at Photharam Hospital. He hoped he would get a permanent position as a civil servant.

But 17 years had passed and his monthly salary remained unchanged at 5,360 baht, or 4,900 baht after deductions.

His wife, Nongluck Areekij, 31, said he was hard-working but the best position he could hope for was head of a unit. She encouraged him to keep the job.

His mother said: ''My son sacrificed his life to show the public the plight of temporary staff. I am sad but also proud of him.''

Bangkok Post
Wednesday January 31, 2007