The Ministry of Labour releases a line of 123 foreign worker and enterprise inspection officers to investigate migrant workers according to the Cabinet Resolutions on September 28, 2021, for organizations not following the resolution. The efforts are serious and not just a threat.
On December 13, 2021, at 14.00 hours, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin chaired the ceremony to deliver policies and release a line of 123 foreign worker and enterprise inspection officers. The team consisted of 90 officers from the Department of Employment, 13 officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, ten officers from the Immigration Bureau, and ten officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. The occasion took place in front of the Phra Phutthasuddhammabophit Pavilion at the Ministry of Labour. Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, the Ministry of Labour’s executives, representatives from the Internal Security Operations Command, and the Immigration Police Office attended the ceremony.
Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin said the support to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 is where all agencies must work together. As the Labour Minister, he is ready to support the government’s policies under the leadership of Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, to slow down and stop the spread of COVID-19 among illegal migrant workers. The Ministry of Labour has taken various measures to manage the work of migrant workers by enforcing the law on migrant workers, employers, and establishments that employ migrant workers without permission. This is an important mission to the officers involved in inspecting migrant workers and establishments, which is from the integration between the Ministry of Labour, Immigration Bureau, Police Office, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division.
“I ask that officers perform their duties with honesty, integrity, fairness, and non-discrimination, do not claim any benefits, and consider the nation’s overall interests. I ask for safety in every mission. On behalf of the Ministry of Labour, I thank the Immigration Bureau and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division for cooperation in sending officers to work with the competent officials of the Ministry of Labour on this occasion,” said the Labour Minister.
Deputy Director-General of the Department of Employment Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan said that the Department of Employment’s Director-General Pairoj Chotiksetian assigned him to speak at the release ceremony of the foreign worker and enterprise inspection officers. Today, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin presented the policies and presided over the ceremony to boost morale and provide guidelines for officers to implement. In the past, the Department of Employment visited the area to inspect the establishments according to the Cabinet’s resolution on September 28, 2021, to provide advice on the practice of public health measures to employers and illegal migrant workers. They set 30 days from November 1 to 30, 2021. The staff would make a data record and for employers to apply for a work permit on behalf of migrant workers within seven days after receiving a migrant worker record form from the official. Today is past the specified period, but 64,472 migrant workers were found whose employers and establishments have not reported them, representing 18.22 percent of 353,776 employees that the inspection officers recorded. Therefore, this group of workers immediately became illegal migrant workers. The foreign worker and enterprise inspection officers will start working to inspect the above group first.
“For employers who accept foreigners to work without work permits, there will be a fine from 10,000 to 100,000 Baht per foreign worker. Repeated offenses are punishable by imprisonment, and the employer will be prohibited from hiring foreigners to work for another three years. Foreigners smuggled to work without permission are punishable by fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Baht and will be repatriated out of the Kingdom. They will not be able to obtain a work permit until the sentence has been passed for two years,”
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Division of Public Relations
13 December 2021
