On 16 January 2017, Labour Minister General Sirichai Distakul took part in the ministry’s first meeting of the year to follow up progress from all affiliated units on migrant worker management (Cambodian, Laotian and Burmese nationals) in comparison to the timeline and frame for each process and to ensure legality of migration into the nation. The Labour Minister found that the citizenship verification process conducted by origin nations had been delayed since 2014, and was unimpressed. He assigned the Department of Employment to urgently coordinate on the citizenship verification process; if operations after the exemption period remain unfinished, Thailand will resort to sourcing workers from other nations in replacement.
There are approximately 1.3 million workers who require the citizenship verification process which include 1.2 million workers who registered between 1 April – 29 July 2016 with expiration on 31 March 2018, and another 100,000 workers in the fishing and seafood processing industry who are exempt until 1 November 2017.
The processes will be as follows:
1. Myanmar. Myanmar reported that their citizenship verification process would include the issuance of a Certificate of Identity to all workers. Two centers dedicated to the process will be set up in Samut Sakhon and another in Samut Prakarn, Chiang Rai, Tak and Ranong. The Certificate of Identity will cost 400 Baht and will only take 1 day to process. Workers can pay the fee at the counter services, with a 10 Baht transaction fee. The commencement dates will be confirmed later.
2. Cambodia. Cambodia will issue passports or travel documents to Cambodian workers who have yet to receive their passports of any documentation. Workers will need to report their name through the given website, submitting the information to Cambodia via e-mail or postal services to the Cambodian embassy. Cambodian officials will then notify the date and time to collect the passport which will take 14 working days and 950 Baht. This has started since 14 November 2016. The citizenship verification process will start once passports are issued to a significant number of nationals.
3. Laos. Laos is currently coordinating the issue.
For more details, call the 1694 hotline.
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Source: Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment /
Bureau of Publications – News/
18 January 2017
