Thailand Plans to Open Borders to 400,000 Foreign Laborers Next Month

[Sheryl]

31 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Hi Sheryl, This may be of interest in today's Cambodian Press;-

 

COVID health insurance no longer needed for travellers to Cambodia

 

Regarding Forte Cambodia, I found its Siem Reap Branch very unhelpful. When I enquired about Covid insurance I was told not available to over 65's. At 77 I was shown the front door!

Thanks!

 

I have still seen anecdotal reports of people being asked for it yesterday but might just have been confusion on part of airport staff since the change was made so suddenly and directives issued after the fact

[Forza2002]

If Thai Factory/Construction owners paid Thais a fair wage then it wouldn't be necessary to hire all the Cambodian/Laos/Myanmar workers. Naturally that will never happen as owners want to maximize their profits by exploiting a cheaper labour force.

[zaZa9]

1 hour ago, Forza2002 said:

If Thai Factory/Construction owners paid Thais a fair wage then it wouldn't be necessary to hire all the Cambodian/Laos/Myanmar workers. Naturally that will never happen as owners want to maximize their profits by exploiting a cheaper labour force.

Yes , Thai rak Thai , but not when it comes to profits...

So foreign workers ( probably Burmese construction workers )  brought the Delta variant in to Thailand when they were imported  illegally 2 years back. They  have trickled  in ever since from my observations of a nearby camp growing and shrinking over and over. Its only taken 2 years to make their arrivals  legal , AND  regulated by law.

[Sheryl]

17 hours ago, Forza2002 said:

If Thai Factory/Construction owners paid Thais a fair wage then it wouldn't be necessary to hire all the Cambodian/Laos/Myanmar workers. Naturally that will never happen as owners want to maximize their profits by exploiting a cheaper labour force.

I am not at all sure this is true.

 

I have had to hire Cambodian household staff because I simply cannot get Thais, at any price. I also have to hire Cambodians whenever doing a special project that needs extra hands to complete.

 

Out where I am, local businesses have had to do the same. And they pay the Cambodians same as they pay the Thais, which is well above minimum wage.500 -600 baht a day is the going rate.

 

It is actually rather  expensive -- and very time intensive - to hire migrants, if you are doing it legally and if you pay the associated costs. Huge amount of paperwork and visa hassles.  L-A visa costs minimum 20,000 baht and takes 6 months to get. That is not including the costs of the mandatory medical checkup and annual health insurance.

 

Certainly some Thai businesses exploit migrant workers, these would generally also be employing illegals since it is pretty difficult to do it legally on the cheap.