"Media employee Dead-at-Desk Causes Public Outrage Over Industry Exploitation"

News media Thai News Network (TNN), TV channel True4U and True Corporation released an internal circular expressing their “deepest condolences” for the loss of the senior media employee while on the job.

A day after a Facebook page called “Jordub” announced the death of a media employee after persistent overwork and lack of relaxation on 5 February 2023, parent company True Corporation, along with its affiliates, published a letter to “all TNN employees”

The letter informs that Sarawuth Srisawasdi, Bird, died of a heart attack on February 4, 2023, while working at the TNN news channel...

According to Thai labour law, a worker may not work more than 8 hours per day or as agreed, but never more than 48 hours per week. After a continuous working time of no more than 5 hours, the worker is entitled to a rest break of at least 1 hour per day.

A weekly holiday of at least 1 day a week at intervals of a 6 days period must be arranged for the employee...

What happened to Sarawuth has sparked a public debate, especially in the journalism industry. The BBC Thai Service reported on the incident, citing a study by Jeffrey Pfeffer, Stanford professor of organisational behavior, who has written more than 15 books, including the book: “Dying for a Paycheck”...