Thailand’s Ministry of Labour warned foreign workers to finish the legalisation process before the deadline on June 30, or “aliens who fail that process will be deported and banned from holding a work permit for two years.”
“I would like to emphasise that the government will not extend the deadline,” an official of the labour ministry said in a statement.
He said over 37,000 foreign workers need to prove their citizenships and more than 93,000 others need to finish the legalisation documents, such as work permits, visas, health insurance at the One-Stop Service centres throughout the kingdom.
The Department of Employment said that foreign workers who fail to get the proper documents in time will not be allowed to stay and work in the country.
It said it will cooperate with the relevant agencies to monitor aliens who continue to work without finishing the legalisation process.
A foreign worker without a work permit can be fined up to 50,000 baht (US$1555/K2.11 million) and must be deported. Those deported for working without a permit will be banned for two years from the date they are deported.
Employer who hire illegal migrants must be fined up to 100,000 baht for each alien they hire, the ministry warned.
‘I would like to emphasise that the government will not extend the deadline.’ Thailand Labour Ministry official
Myanmar President U Win Myint is in Thailand and is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha.
During a meeting with embassy officials in Bangkok on Thursday, U Win Myint said the embassy should cooperate with Myanmar workers rights groups to legalise outlawed Myanmar citizens and ensure the labour rights of Myanmar migrant workers are respected and they receive all benefits due them by their employers.
Thai-based Myanmar migrant rights activists expect that U Win Myint would be able to come up with deals with the Thai leader to improve the welfare and protection of migrants workers.
“Thai authorities will be going to arrest illegal migrant workers starting on July 1. So, our government officials need to discuss with Thai officials the possibility of exempting our workers from the crackdown operations” said U Aung Myo Thant, legal adviser of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok.
There are over three million Myanmar workers in Thailand, over 350,000 of whom are working there under an agreement between the two countries.
Last year thousands of undocumented Myanmar workers rushed home after the Thai government imposed harsh penalties to illegal workers. MMT – EP
Illegal foreign workers face deportation, Thailand warns
