A Survey of Challenges and Welfare Received by Food Riders in Bangkok during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the online food delivery service has dramatically become popular. Food delivery riders have become a key personnel who risks themselves to serve food for customers. Issues about riders' compensation discrimination and exclusion from social protection became shrouded in mystery. Therefore, this study aims to explore the challenges food delivery riders encountered, the welfare and labor protections they received and their level of satisfaction towards such welfare and protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. The internet-based questionnaire and semistructured interview were conducted to gather insights to address the purpose. The finding indicated that main obstacles to operating food delivery service during the pandemic included the risk of getting infection from the COVID-19 disease, financial insecurity, inadequate welfare, and insufficient daily income. The vast majority of food delivery riders were dissatisfied with the assistance provided by the government and by private delivery agencies due to the difficulty of accessing welfare and protection. For this reason, both the public and private sectors should improve labor protection and welfare of food delivery riders to be more comprehensive and accessible.