On 20 January 2012, the Yala Employment Office convened a community network project seminar to campaign for labour smuggling prevention, class 1, at Baetong Vocational College, Baetong District, Yala. The office invited Ms. Pataraporn Samantarath, Minister-Counsellor (Labour), to give a lecture on “Registration of Foreign Workers in Malaysia” to the audience.
The community network project trainings have been created to educate the target group i.e. general public and students in the outer areas of Baetong District located next to the Malaysian border, to have proper understanding in working abroad legally so that they can observe the rules and suggest others. This project is also a part of creating a network to prevent labour smuggling to foreign countries.
In the lecture, the Minister-Counsellor (Labour) explained the background and history of the registration of foreign workers, procedures of the amnesty program, general knowledge on consular services, as well as the problems and consequences of entering the country and working illegally, labour trafficking victims, and the roles of the Thai Royal Embassy in providing helps to Thai workers in need. Mr. Arun Chuaynukul, head of workers checkpoint, explained the process of entering into a foreign country legally and gave additional information on border pass application at the district office, verification at the immigration checkpoints, and recommendation on how to fill in the form Tor.Mor.6 of both Thai and Malaysian authorities. In fact the form Tor.Mor.6 is not too complicated to fill in, but most people still choose to hire other people to fill in the form for them, which is an unnecessary action. The demonstration was also performed. The officer further taught the audience to pay attention to the official stamp of the immigration authority and various types of visa.
The community network project trainings are beneficial and should be carried out continuously and seriously. So far there have been many Thai workers who smuggle into and work in Malaysia illegally. Giving information to those seeking jobs so that they realize the problems and consequences of smuggling into a country to work is one of the effective preventive methods. Thus this program should be encouraged and should also be introduced to other regional areas so that the people, especially local labour volunteers, have proper understanding on working abroad and may further recommend others.
Any persons interested in consular services and other details regarding the amnesty program for illegal foreign workers in Malaysia, please contact the Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia at 03-21455868/21456004.
