Thailand joins opponents of Hong Kong maid tax

Thailand joins opponents of Hong Kong maid tax

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Bangkok

A top Thai labour official has joined his counterparts from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia in condemning a proposed tax on domestic maids by the government of Hong Kong, a news report said Friday.

Thai Employment Department chief Nakhon Silapa-archa was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying the tax of HK$500 (US$64) on foreign maids was unfair and discriminatory.

"Maids are not slaves and should not be treated as such," Nikhon said. "They are eligible for good pay and welfare benefits."

He said his department would launch a campaign to support overseas Thai domestic workers.

There are currently about 10,000 Thais registered as domestic maids in Hong Kong out of a total of about 200,000 maids, with the majority coming from the Philippines.

Most of the maids earn about HK$3,600 per month, which is the government-set minimum wage.

Hong Kong authorities have justified the proposed tax by citing the area's 7.1 percent unemployment rate and its budget deficit, currently estimated at nearly $9 billion.

About 6,000 people from groups representing overseas domestic workers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand took part in a New Year's Day rally in Hong Kong to protest against the proposed maid tax.