On April 29, 2022, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin spoke about the news where a woman from Udon Thani asked for help. Her mother was deceived into prostitution in Dubai, along with 10 Thai women in the same situation. In this regard, Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan are concerned about Thai workers working abroad. This is because workers are a key force in earning a family’s income and bringing a lot of money into the country each year. Therefore, the Ministry of Labour was instructed to take care of their livelihood and assist in the event of suffering in working abroad.
Mr. Suchart further said that from the report of Mrs. Plida Ruamkham, the Minister Counselor on Labour at the embassy in Abu Dhabi, found in this case, the news indicates that administrative officials were informed by Ms. A-ngun, a native of Udon Thani, that an agent deceived her mother to work in traditional massage in Al Nahda 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, they were forced into prostitution. Her mother refused, so her passport was confiscated, and she was taken to the second floor of a building, unable to escape. Therefore, she asked for help from relevant agencies to return her home to Thailand urgently.
Mr. Suchart said that for the Ministry of Labour, the Labour Department in Abu Dhabi had coordinated preliminary information to the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai. The Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai are aware, as mentioned through communications through the LINE group of Thai communities in the UAE. They will coordinate assistance where the said Thai workers are staying, where police will help for the return back to Thailand. The five labour leaders in Udon Thani went to visit the home of the said worker, to support the family and inform the progress of the assistance to the relatives.
Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, revealed that he had received a report from Lieutenant Anthep Sridaoruang, the Udon Thani Provincial Employment Officer. Today, he has assigned Mr. Wirat Klangbunruang, a Specialist Labour Academic, to visit the area with the five labour leaders, the Provincial Social Security Officer, the Provincial Social Development and Stability Officer, and the Senior Permanent Secretary of Wang Sam Mo District, also joined the visit. They went to support the family of Ms. Arunee Andaso, daughter of Mrs. Amporn Nansombat, residing at 46 Moo 12, Bayao Subdistrict, Wang Sam Mo District, Udon Thani Province. They expressed concern for the family of the worker. The mother was deceived into working in a massage shop in the United Arab Emirates. From speaking with the daughter of the job seeker, they have four children and currently live together as a family of five with their grandmother, Wang Saennarong, who is the mother of the worker. They provided additional information that the workers are not licensed to work in the United Arab Emirates. From checking the Department of Employment registration information, it was found that they are not a member of the fund to help job seekers abroad.
Currently, there are five ways to legally travel to work abroad. This includes the Department of Employment, a recruitment company, employers in Thailand deploying their employees to work abroad, employers in Thailand sending their employees to do internships abroad, and job seekers informing their travels to work abroad by themselves. Therefore, he said he would like to inform job seekers who wish to travel abroad to ensure they work legally and apply as a member of the fund to help job seekers work abroad. Membership will enable them to receive protection benefits in the event of danger, death, disability, or experiencing trouble in a foreign country. Information about traveling to work abroad is available at www.doe.go.th/overseas. Workers can also register online to work abroad at toea.doe.go.th. If there are any issues with applying for a job or traveling to work abroad, complaints can be filed at the Job Seekers Crime Suppression Coordinating Center, the Central Employment Registration and Job Seeker Protection Division, the Department of Employment, or Provincial Employment Offices in every province and the Bangkok Employment Office Areas 1-10. Or for more information, contact the Ministry of Labour’s 1506 hotline, press 2 for the Department of Employment, or call the Department of Employment’s 1694 hotline.
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