The Foreign Worker Management Policy Committee prepared a proposal to the Cabinet to extend the service period for CI centers in 4 provinces of Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ranong, and Chonburi, to February 13, 2023. and approve the amendment of the Ministry of Labour’s announcement on allowing migrant workers with high potential to work in the Kingdom as a special case, following the economic and investment stimulus measures.
On September 2, 2022, the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, chaired the Foreign Work Management Policy Committee Meeting No. 3/2022. The Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, Secretariat to the Labour Minister, Mr. Suthep Chitvong, the Department of Employment’s Director-General, Mr. Pairoj Chotiksetian, the Ministry of Labour’s executives, and relevant agencies joined the meeting at the Prasong Rananant meeting room, 5th floor, Ministry of Labour. The meeting approved the extension of the period for the center to consider granting permission to stay in the Kingdom, issuing permits, issuing certificates of identity (CI), and permission for migrant workers to work in the Kingdom as a special case following the economic stimulus and investment measures by attracting high-potential migrant workers to Thailand. Mr. Suchart said there would soon be a proposal to the Cabinet to consider extending the opening of the CI Center. If approved, the CI Centers will open again in four provinces: Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ranong, and Chon Buri. The center would replace the certificate of identification (CI) for Myanmar workers who have the original certificate of identification (CI) and the Myanmar authorities. It is under consideration by the agencies involved in issuing certificates of identification (CI) to Myanmar workers who have work permits but do not have identity documents. In terms of economic stimulus and investment measures, it aims to attract high-potential foreign workers to Thailand. There will be amendments to the Ministry of Labour’s announcement. The essence is to allow four groups of foreign workers and their dependents. The groups include the world’s high-wealth population, retirees from abroad, people who want to work from Thailand, and workers with special skills. They will be granted a special Long-Term Resident Visa (LTR) and are allowed to stay and work in the Kingdom for not more than five years, for a total not exceeding ten years.
The Department of Employment’s Director-General, Mr. Pairoj Chotiksetian, said that on July 13, 2021, the Cabinet approved to open of the center to consider granting permission to stay in the Kingdom, issuing permits, issuing certificates of identity (CI) from January 10, 2022, to July 27, 2022. Around 400,000 Myanmar workers used the services at all five CI Centers (Chiang Mai, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ranong, and Chonburi). The consideration followed the Myanmar authorities, who provided an official letter to the Thai authorities requesting the Department of Employment to propose to the Cabinet to consider extending the period of operation of the CI Center twice. The request follows the Myanmar authorities’ forecast that there are still around 250,000 to 300,000 workers who would need to change their certificates of identification (CI).
“The Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin as Chairman of the Foreign Work Management Policy Committee gives importance to the creation of new identity documents for Myanmar workers who represent a large population that are in most demand by Thai employers among the three nationalities (Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar). It is an urgent agenda that requires guidance for Myanmar workers to have a new certificate of identity (CI) to apply for a visa to stay in the Kingdom with the Immigration Office within the specified period. It would allow them to continue working in Thailand until February 13, 2025. The Cabinet, therefore, approved the extension of the operations for all four centers in Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ranong, and Chonburi to operate until February 13, 2023,” said the Department of Employment’s Director-General.
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Division of Public Relations
2 September 2022
