The Social Security Office of Thailand (SSO) has agreed to provide a one-time 5,000 baht support payment to nightlife entertainers, including musicians, comedians and other performers, who have been left without work since last year by restrictions imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agreement, which will be considered by the cabinet at its meeting on December 21st, was reached at a meeting today between representatives of the night entertainers and SSO officials.
SSO Secretary-General Boonsong Tapchaiyuth said after the meeting that the 5,000 baht per head will be a single payment for the affected entertainers and he expects the money to be wired to some recipients’ Prompt Pay accounts on December 29th if approved.
He said that the SSO has received a list of 120,000 affected entertainers who are to receive this financial support.
He explained that it will be only one payment because the SSO believes that the impacts from pandemic will get no worse than they have been to date.
Expressing her gratitude on behalf of the entertainers, Suda Chuenban, vice president of the Musicians Association of Thailand, said they became the first group of people to lose their jobs and are the last to receive financial support from the tax payer.
The first round of payments will not cover all the people affected and there will be another round of disbursements for those who do not get the payment on December 29th. She also said that those who are not on the list, such as folk musicians and other performing artists, can apply to the association by January 14th, for approval by the association by January 28th.
Those entertainers who are over 65 will not be eligible to receive the 5,000 baht, but the list of their names will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture for help, said Suda.
