The Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, spoke about the news in online media on August 26 that Mr. Prasit Sribunchan and Mr. Kobchokcheep Phosorn, Deputy Chairpersons of the Samran Subdistrict Administrative Council, Samchai District, Kalasin Province, who filed a complaint with the Kalasin Provincial Damrongtham Center, to help track down Mr. Prasit’s sister, Ms. Apinya Sribunchan, 41, back to Thailand. An agent recruited her to work in Thai massage in Dubai on July 20, 2022. She traveled with three female friends from nearby areas and eight from other provinces. She has been uncontactable for over 15 days, and there is fear that she was deceived into prostitution and unsafe. For this case, the Labour Minister received a report from Mrs. Plida Ruamkham, Ambassador Counselor (on Labour) of the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi, that Ms. Apinya traveled on a tourist visa and went to work because she believed the agency that persuaded her to work in Thai massage. Therefore, she was arrested for prostitution. Officials have detained her at the Abu Dhabi Central Prison. From the Labour Ambassador’s initial investigation, the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi had been contacted by the Khalifah Police Station to interpret for six Thai women arrested for prostitution from the Sabiyah District, Abu Dhabi. One of the six is Ms. Apinya Sribunchan. Ms. Apinya is now in the Abu Dhabi Central Prison for legal action. As soon as he heard the news, the Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister showed concern for all Thai workers working abroad. The Ministry of Labour was urged to coordinate with relevant agencies immediately. Therefore, the Labour Minister instructed the Labour Ambassador to coordinate closely with the Embassy of Abu Dhabi.
The Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, assigned the Provincial Labour Office and agencies in their affiliation to visit the homes of the said Thai worker to inform the relatives and encourage the family. On August 27, Kalasin Labour Officer Mrs. Panida Sathienchit, and relevant agencies, paid a visit to Ms. Apinya’s home. In the visit, Ms. Supanida Tichawan, who is Ms. Apinya’s daughter, and Mr. Prasit Sribunchan, Ms. Apinya’s brother, said that Ms. Apinya traveled to Dubai on July 14, 2022, after having been persuaded by an agent to travel as a tourist to work in Thai massage parlor for three months. The travel expenses, visa, and all expenses amounted to 60,000 Baht, but the agency had first paid for the travel expenses. When Ms. Apinya arrived in Dubai, she informed Ms. Supanida via Line on July 26, 2022, that the job did not match the contract and that she was forced into prostitution. But Ms. Apinya did not agree to this and asked to return to Thailand. She was told that if she wanted to go home, the relatives would need to send 130,000 Baht by transferring money to Ms. Apinya’s account. Mr. Prasit made two transfers on August 12 and 13. Since the money was transferred, until now, Ms. Apinya has not been contactable. It was feared that she would be harmed. Therefore, he filed a complaint to the Kalasin Provincial Damrongtham Center for assistance in tracking Ms. Apinya’s return to Thailand.
Mr. Boonchob also emphasized that Thai workers who want to work abroad do so legally. There are five ways to do so: through the Department of Employment, recruitment companies, employment by employers in Thailand, Thai employers sending workers to train abroad, and self-arrangements. He reiterated those job seekers who wish to travel abroad to work in a legal way, not trust agents, apply to the fund for job seekers to work abroad. Fund members will receive protection and benefits if there is danger, death, disability, or trouble when abroad. Workers can study information about traveling to work abroad at www.doe.go.th/overseas. They can register online at toea.doe.go.th. When experiencing problems from applying for a job or traveling to work abroad, complaints can be filed at the Job Seeker Protection Coordinating Center, Central Employment Registration and Job Seeker Protection Division, Department of Employment, the Provincial Employment Office in every province and the Bangkok Employment Offices Areas 1-10. For more information, contact the Ministry of Labour’s 1506 hotline, press 2 for the Department of Employment, or the Department of Employment’s 1694 hotline.
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Public Relations Division
29 August 2022
