By Woraprat Lerpaisal

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s Ministry of Labor is preparing to allow workers from three neighboring countries to return, under a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The move is in line with government policy to solve labor shortages arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment.

 

Department of Employment (DoE) Director-General Pairoj Chotikasathien said a survey by the department showed 424,703 migrant workers are needed to bolster the nation’s workforce.

 

According to the DoE, businesses need 256,029 Myanmar, 130,138 Cambodian and 38,536 Lao nationals in their workplaces. Most of the jobs are in the agriculture, livestock, construction, hospitality services and garment production sectors.

 

Mr Pairoj said migrant workers can help to steer the business sector in the right direction, now and when the pandemic ends, adding that the DoE is consulting with the Public Health Ministry and other state agencies, to provide guidance over resuming its intake of unskilled laborers under the MoU.

 

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-- © Copyright NNT 2021-08-23

 

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Pretty sure vaccinated tourists would be safer than migrant workers

Yep, that´s a great idea. Bring'em on! We can already see on the picture, that they are well educated in the meaning of safe distance.

cheap abused labour - nothing more

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Department of Employment (DoE) Director-General Pairoj Chotikasathien said a survey by the department showed 424,703 migrant workers are needed to bolster the nation’s workforce.

Should make a dent in the 1.9 million unemployed Thais?

39 minutes ago, smedly said:

cheap abused labour - nothing more

Practically slave labour, often living and being transported in demeaning conditions. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr Pairoj said migrant workers can help to steer the business sector in the right direction, now and when the pandemic ends, adding that the DoE is consulting with the Public Health Ministry and other state agencies, to provide guidance over resuming its intake of unskilled laborers under the MoU

After the way migrants have been treated over the last year I don't think those that managed to escape out of Thailand are desperate enough to come back... they will look for better employment options elsewhere where labour is needed.

Just now, hotchilli said:

After the way migrants have been treated over the last year I don't think those that managed to escape out of Thailand are desperate enough to come back... they will look for better employment options elsewhere where labour is needed.

I have a feeling Myanmar offers little in the way of options.  

7 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I have a feeling Myanmar offers little in the way of options.  

Correct, but better employment conditions & treatment is easily found in many other countries... Thailand just happens to be easily entered and next door... but the shine wore off this year

56 minutes ago, smedly said:

cheap abused labour - nothing more

to you and me it is ......  however,  to the construction worker it's a job that feeds his family back home every month, it buys them clothes and pays the rent.  They're not obliged to say no just because you feel it's cheap labour.

Looks like the general is throwing in the towel on the leaky border. So he may as well stop the leaky lock down. There goes the first defense - the second defense - vaccination - is not going too well this year.

 

I really have no concept of what the general is trying to do, of what his plan is. Maybe that is where the problem is, maybe he does not have a plan.

 

 

19 minutes ago, steven100 said:

to you and me it is ......  however,  to the construction worker it's a job that feeds his family back home every month, it buys them clothes and pays the rent.  They're not obliged to say no just because you feel it's cheap labour.

When people live in dreadful conditions in their own country they should not be taken advantage of by traffickers and sold into cheap forced labour and work akin to slavery. Thailand and particularly this Govt should be ashamed this still goes on.

8 minutes ago, Scrotobike said:

Looks like the general is throwing in the towel on the leaky border. So he may as well stop the leaky lock down. There goes the first defense - the second defense - vaccination - is not going too well this year.

 

I really have no concept of what the general is trying to do, of what his plan is. Maybe that is where the problem is, maybe he does not have a plan.

 

 

"Everyone has a plan until they're punched in the face"

4 hours ago, webfact said:

businesses need 256,029 Myanmar, 130,138 Cambodian and 38,536 Lao nationals in their workplaces.

Yet yesterday statistics said unemployment was rising; further proof that the average Thai prefers to sit on his bottom than work.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Most of the jobs are in the agriculture, livestock, construction, hospitality services and garment production sectors.

How old is this survey or are they about to restart "hospitality services" as well.........

1 hour ago, edwinchester said:

"Everyone has a plan until they're punched in the face"

Ha this is why soldiers should not run countries - they come all pre-punched

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

General Pairoj Chotikasathien said a survey by the department showed 424,703 migrant workers are needed to bolster the nation’s workforce.

And where are the 850,000 Covid vaccine doses going to come from? Or does anybody imagine workers from Myanmar and Cambodia are going to arrive fully vaccinated? More to the point, just which 850,000 Thai people does this program propose to cut out of the vaccination program in order to give it to these workers?

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

After the way migrants have been treated over the last year I don't think those that managed to escape out of Thailand are desperate enough to come back... they will look for better employment options elsewhere where labour is needed.

And there is the problem.

Thailand needs these people desperately to line the pockets of the rich Factory owners and land Owners.

There are very few other alternatives for these people to find employment in other Countries in the Region.

And the Thais know this, and thats why things are the way they are.

44,703 very precise figures

5 hours ago, edwinchester said:

When people live in dreadful conditions in their own country they should not be taken advantage of by traffickers and sold into cheap forced labour and work akin to slavery. Thailand and particularly this Govt should be ashamed this still goes on.

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

And where are the 850,000 Covid vaccine doses going to come from? Or does anybody imagine workers from Myanmar and Cambodia are going to arrive fully vaccinated? More to the point, just which 850,000 Thai people does this program propose to cut out of the vaccination program in order to give it to these workers?

Look no further than the North

"Mr Pairoj said migrant workers can help to steer the business sector in the right direction"

 

Until now I only heard that they are spreading Covid. Is this the right direction or what is different now? 

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

And where are the 850,000 Covid vaccine doses going to come from? Or does anybody imagine workers from Myanmar and Cambodia are going to arrive fully vaccinated? More to the point, just which 850,000 Thai people does this program propose to cut out of the vaccination program in order to give it to these workers?

I'm sure, exceptions can/will be made for these cheap labourers... (There is strong demand, after all, from influental Thais who need to make some money.)

 

After that, watch out for 50,000 daily new Covid-cases around the end of 2021.

19 minutes ago, Almer said:

44,703 very precise figures

Love the exact numbers; seems that certain jobs can only be done by "Myanmar" or Cambodians, while Lao nationals are less in demand...

1 minute ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Love the exact numbers; seems that certain jobs can only be done by "Myanmar" or Cambodians, while Lao nationals are less in demand...

This is the very reason why you cant trust the Thai's on anything, think of a number, double it divide it by 6 and add four, there that will do.

13 minutes ago, Almer said:

This is the very reason why you cant trust the Thai's on anything, think of a number, double it divide it by 6 and add four, there that will do.

Do you really think that it is that complicated? Or perhaps they just tell you a number they like?