Employment Department Says Thailand to Import More Workers

[webfact]

 

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Reports of illegal migrant workers entering Thailand have prompted public concern about the spread of COVID-19, with questions being raised about the worker importation process.

 

Relevant agencies have indicated that Thailand has taken the necessary steps to import labor, with requests for about 150,000 migrant workers having recently been made with partner countries.

 

Pairoj Chotikasathien, director-general of the Department of Employment, revealed that the labor ministry is addressing the labor shortage in two major ways. The first is by bringing in workers from three different countries to work for employers in Thailand under the labor memorandum of understanding (MoU) process.

 

Employers have filed applications to hire 167,961 migrant workers via the MoU system. Applications were made for 117,029 Myanmar workers, 38,933 Cambodian workers, and 11,999 Laotian workers.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

 

Approval has been granted for 144,709 of these positions and requests for these workers have been made to their origin countries. So far, about 6,000 workers from Cambodia and Laos have entered Thailand in accordance with said requests.

 

Pairoj said Myanmar workers, for whom demand has been highest, still face labor import obstacles stemming from unrest in their country.

 

The director-general explained that the second major undertaking to resolve labor shortages involves allowing migrant workers in Thailand to remain in the kingdom.

 

The 2.13 million workers already in the country are now able to apply for employment and remain in Thailand, instead of returning to their nation of origin.

 

Both initiatives are expected to help retain the number of workers already in the kingdom and expand the pool with newcomers.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-04-11

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Ralf001]

Just now, RandiRona said:

Wow...seems unemployment seems to be in control,lots of unfilled positions so it make sense to get them from outside.

Sometimes it is too hard to find local workers.

 

We have an ongoing staff shortage and impossible to recruit capable locals, the ones that do start rarely last a week so we rely on Labour hire companies who supply Cambodian workers to fill the shortage.

 

[Chang_paarp]

Just in time to send a big bunch of Thai labourers to Saudi.

Imagine what would happen if the Cambodians went to Saudi in stead.

[mikebell]

Why don't the Thais fill the vacancies?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Relevant agencies have indicated that Thailand has taken the necessary steps to import labor, with requests for about 150,000 migrant workers having recently been made with partner countries.

Thailands unemployment numbers at an all time high and importing slave labour.

[varun]

The pea-brained planning is nothing short of mind-boggling.

 

1) Strike a deal to send Thai workers to Saudi Arabia

2) Import cheap labor to make up for the shortfall and to fill jobs that are "beneath" what the local population is willing to do

[chilly07]

Might explain lack of progress on eastern corridor!

[Tropicalevo]

6 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why don't the Thais fill the vacancies?

A number of reasons.

Immigrants are cheaper and easier to control. (Live in camps.)

There are strong labour laws to protect Thai workers.

There is a minimum wage for Thais. Not so for immigrants (or if there is, very few people stick  to it).

When I built my house more than 20 years ago, all of the construction workers were from Issan. Same for other builders  around me. When the government put the minimum wage up to 300 baht per day, suddenly all of the construction workers were from Burma.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Tropicalevo

[portlandtree]

6 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why don't the Thais fill the vacancies?

Saudi pays better and Thais pay less for imports

 

[portlandtree]

5 hours ago, varun said:

The pea-brained planning is nothing short of mind-boggling.

 

1) Strike a deal to send Thai workers to Saudi Arabia

2) Import cheap labor to make up for the shortfall and to fill jobs that are "beneath" what the local population is willing to do

And make the Thai bosses richer

[DJ54]

On 4/11/2022 at 7:00 AM, mikebell said:

Why don't the Thais fill the vacancies?

Exactly! Government should do something to entice local labor.... add to wages or something 

to help locals...

[ratcatcher]

On 4/11/2022 at 7:00 AM, mikebell said:

Why don't the Thais fill the vacancies?

[StayinThailand2much]

Import workers from neighbouring countries, exporting Thai workers to Saudi Arabia and other places... Yes, makes perfect sense. ????

Edited April 12, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[Boomer6969]

I can answer, but I'll do it only via PM.

[Troy Tempest]

If you look at this from purely business perspectives you can understand why it makes sense for The Thai Govt to allow immigrant workers in to fill and do jobs for peanuts that Thais will not do and now they can let Thais go to work abroad in Saudi Arabia (hopefully sending far more money back)...Into Thailand!

 

But, it still means they are BAST**DS!

Edited April 12, 2022 by Troy Tempest