The Kaohsiung City Government yesterday honored 81 exemplary workers, including 18 foreign workers.
Among those honored was Khunatakon Thawatchai from Thailand, who said he was delighted to receive the recognition and planned to share his joy with his loved ones back home.
He said he has worked in Taiwan for more than a decade and is currently employed by Hua Yong Machine Industry Co, adding that he has learned to read and write Chinese during his years here.
An avid soccer fan, he is a shift leader at his factory and earns about NT$30,000 a month.
The city government commended Thawatchai for his tireless efforts to help and building a rapport with his fellow migrant workers.
Sun Arti is an Indonesian caregiver who has worked at Bocheng Long-term Care Services for the past four years.
Her work ethic and attention to detail have garnered the trust and affection of her elderly clients, city officials said, adding that she even provides impromptu lessons on traditional Indonesian dancing and mending garments.
In light of last year’s deadly gas pipeline explosions, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) thanked the honorees for their contributions to making the city a safer place to work, and she promised to look out for the the interests of laborers and the disadvantaged.
“In Kaohsiung, regardless of which country they are from, all workers belong to the same family,” she said.
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