On October 18, a significant protest took place in Sriracha, Chonburi, where more than 3,000 workers from 24 subcontracting companies involved in the Clean Fuel Project (CFP) marched to voice their grievances over unpaid wages. These subcontractors, affected by delays of up to eight months in receiving payments from a major foreign contractor, sought assistance from project owners and later filed complaints with the Chonburi provincial justice center. Their primary concern is the potential job loss of over 10,000 workers due to these financial issues.
On October 28, Chonburi Governor Thawatchai Sri Thong convened a meeting with relevant government departments to address the financial hardships faced by the subcontracting firms. The gathering, held at the Holiday Inn Suites in Sriracha, included officials from various sectors, such as legal aid, labor protection, and the police, along with representatives from Thai Oil Public Company Limited and the subcontractors.
However, members of the UJV consortium, which includes companies like Samsung E&A (Thailand) and Saipem Singapore Pte. Ltd., did not attend the meeting. In a statement submitted to the Chonburi justice center, UJV explained that it had separate contracts with each subcontractor, and the unique circumstances surrounding these agreements required individual negotiations rather than collective discussions.
UJV expressed its commitment to resolving issues with each subcontractor directly but cited contractual obligations as the reason for its absence from the meeting. Governor Thawatchai emphasized the urgency of addressing the situation, noting that over 10,000 workers were at risk of losing their livelihoods due to unpaid wages exceeding 5 billion baht.
The governor indicated that Thai Oil’s legal team would review international contract terms, as litigation could prove complicated under British law. He plans to hold further discussions with subcontractors to assess individual losses and urged a swift resolution to prevent further job losses.
Chatrmongkol Khemaphirat, a representative from Sriracha Construction Company, expressed gratitude to the governor for acknowledging the plight of the affected workers. He cautioned that if UJV continued to delay payments, many employees might face layoffs, leading to severe social repercussions.
Despite ongoing discussions, subcontractors remain skeptical of UJV’s intentions to fulfill its financial obligations. Chatrmongkol announced plans for a subsequent march to Government House with over 3,000 workers to petition for government intervention.
Representatives from STECON voiced concerns regarding Thai Oil’s statements that there were no outstanding debts with UJV, demanding clarity on the whereabouts of the funds and reasons for the prolonged payment delays. If payments are not received by November, many subcontractors may be forced to lay off thousands of employees, further stressing the need for urgent financial resolution.
The meeting also explored legal avenues and support for laid-off workers, focusing on creating a framework for mediation and negotiation concerning payment disputes between the 24 subcontractor companies and UJV.