Labour minister promises nationwide crackdown against foreigners with no Work Permit "taking jobs from Thais"

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 hours ago, actonion said:

Thais too lazy to work, they go home due to   Covid and not want to come back to work

That BKK bargirl in my village who I've commented on many times on AN is unfortunately still stomping around, still with that wonderfully charming personality, after her Royal wedding with some village boy fell through. They did fortunately get her out cutting sugar cane now that it's harvest time. But it's pennies compared to thousands of baht she could be sending back to her fam, with the plane loads of tourists now streaming through Swampy making the news every night, that everyone's been pointing out to her. Hopefully when the harvest's done, her Highness will finally be on a bus.

[bondjames007]

What about all the digital nomad's and Independent Contractors who are working in Thailand ? I guess there a few living in Thailand.

 

Are the authorities concerned as you are not taking any jobs away from a Thai ?

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

You must have a work permit to work in the kingdom and you must not do jobs reserved for Thai people.

 

Fines and even prison terms have been announced after Thai restaurant owners complained to the Labour Ministry.

Welcome to Thailand.. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

You must have a work permit to work in the kingdom and you must not do jobs reserved for Thai people.

Migrant slave labour excluded.. they're essential to the continued GDP and have been given an opt-out with some MOU signed as a waiver between nations.. 

[Lacrimas]

Of course crackdowns on Ya Ba come later in the order of things. Illegal workers after all are worse than crazy addicts killing people around.

[Andrew65]

50 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

So no jobs left.. Thai can do everything, even teaching English without speaking and understanding one word if a foreigner talks with them. How many foreigners are helping their spouse for a restaurant or whatsoever. Small businesses, who can't employ more people... They should be aware....Tourism is killed already by stricter visa rules and an expensive THB, now the familybusinesses what is left over after the visa rules must be killed... When do we get a Government with brains and vision???

In the UK large numbers of people are allowed to come in and do pretty much any job they want. We now have 10 million people here who were born overseas. Things like roads, the NHS etc are creaking under the strain. There's also a "Housing crisis".

[Fairynuff]

4 hours ago, Elkski said:

What about those pesky guys selling fake watches.  They can really pester you.  They are so obvious on soi Cowboy. They must pay off police.   No work permit I bet.  

I didn’t know scammers needed a WP

[biggles45]

Will they fine and jail all the building workers from neighboring countries and the wealthy develops who employ them? No, I don't think so, it would upset important people 

[damo1967]

It appears that 'foreigners' can come to Thai and work as English teachers without a proper work Visa?  I know it is not taking jobs away from Thai's, but if they were serious about catching illegal foreigner's working without a work permit, then they could easily:-

Go to any school that hires foreigners as teachers "during class time" and ask the foreigner to show their respective Visa.   (Viet Immigration did this a few years ago, and caught many off guard)

[Andycoops]

There is going to be alot of worried teachers then if they do crack down, as all the ones I know of, ain't got a permit.

Having said that, we've heard all this before.

[Rimmer]

A baiting flame has been removed

[ThailandRyan]

4 hours ago, Misty said:

In another local media source, the DoE director general Pairoj Chotikasatien is quoted as saying work permit holders have to submit a report in person every 3-6 months to confirm they're working in accordance to the description on their work permit.  Anyone know what this report is called?  Hadn't heard of it before.

@MistyDid your digital work permit ever get completed.  

[StayinThailand2much]

Reportedly, Thailand is short on employees, esp. in the tourism industry. Also, unemployment is barely above 1%. At the same time, the Labour Minister announces a 'crackdown against foreigners with no work permits'... - What's going on? Is it general election time yet?

[daveAustin]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“I want to warn all foreigners that we fully intend to implement the law especially where foreigners are taking Thai jobs," said Suchart.

All foreigners? Even many, like me, that don’t intend to work? So you want to <deleted> off those obeying the law just to make it sound especially tough? Wind your neck in. There are also innumerable jobs Thais just cannot do and while you may shutdown this or that operation, Thai people will lose out in the end be it not being able to learn English or whatever. Back to sleep, Suchart Let’s get back to focusing on Thailand’s real issues, yeah. 

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Reportedly, Thailand is short on employees, esp. in the tourism industry. Also, unemployment is barely above 1%. At the same time, the Labour Minister announces a 'crackdown against foreigners with no work permits'... - What's going on? Is it general election time yet?

Where did you find the statistic that unemployment is barely 1%.  How many of the tourism related jobs ie..cashiers, maids, staff and so on are actually reported to the labor ministry?  Many work under the table and most never pay any taxes, so I have a feeling the less than 1% is for major businesses such as factories, Major companies, convenience style stores like 7-11, gas stations, etc.....

[Lacrimas]

12 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where did you find the statistic that unemployment is barely 1%.  How many of the tourism related jobs ie..cashiers, maids, staff and so on are actually reported to the labor ministry?  Many work under the table and most never pay any taxes, so I have a feeling the less than 1% is for major businesses such as factories, Major companies, convenience style stores like 7-11, gas stations, etc.....

Exactly, also does he think all the village people eating chili paste and working 5-6 days a month are to be considered employed like office people?

[BKKBike09]

Yawn. Work Permit 'Crackdown' #37 or whatever ...

 

A week from now (if even that long) there'll be a different crackdown. 

 

I saw a naked white guy walking down lower Sukhumvit at lunchtime one day last week. He was clutching some clothes but I couldn't see a work permit.

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, bondjames007 said:

What about all the digital nomad's and Independent Contractors who are working in Thailand ? I guess there a few living in Thailand.

 

Are the authorities concerned as you are not taking any jobs away from a Thai ?

 

 

 

 

Now that the Chinese are back, I imagine digital nomads are expendable. They're not well liked by anyone, it seems. Lots of money to be made from catching, arresting, fining, imprisoning, and ransoming them.

[StayinThailand2much]

25 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where did you find the statistic that unemployment is barely 1%.

I wrote "barely above 1%"...

 

 

"Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Thailand unemployment rate for 2021 was 1.42%, a 0.32% increase from 2020. Thailand unemployment rate for 2020 was 1.10%, a 0.38% increase from 2019."

https://www.macrotrends.net › THA

Thailand Unemployment Rate 1991-2023 | MacroTrends

 

Also, official government announcements, as in this news report: 

"The rate of unemployment at the end of the second quarter (2022) came in at 1.4 per cent, the lowest since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, signifying a recovery in the labour market.”

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/economy/40021478

 

[John Drake]

3 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

Yawn. Work Permit 'Crackdown' #37 or whatever ...

These crackdowns do take place. And people are caught up in them and suffer the consequences. They may then lapse into non-enforcement, but do not discount the ability of a crackdown to wreak havoc as intended before it's put in the closet and ready to be rolled out next time.

[owl sees all]

 

That's the end of gold shops then.

 

Not to worry. Plenty of bargains online.

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

On top of this employers can be fined 10,000 to 100,000 baht for EACH foreigner they illegally hire.

That's the construction industry dead in the water.

[ChrisY1]

A friend was photographed picking up plates in his wife's restaurant.....cost him Thb 300K..or deportation!

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, Misty said:

In another local media source, the DoE director general Pairoj Chotikasatien is quoted as saying work permit holders have to submit a report in person every 3-6 months to confirm they're working in accordance to the description on their work permit.  Anyone know what this report is called?  Hadn't heard of it before.

I think the document is Form ThB 1000 in duplicate

[FritsSikkink]

5 hours ago, jvs said:

They will probably catch a few older Foreigners who are helping their wives

trying to make a small living(survive).

Take a few pictures and deport them(no money to make the problem go away) Yes i know they break the law but really?

 

Let them get a proper job then.

[ThailandRyan]

22 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

Yawn. Work Permit 'Crackdown' #37 or whatever ...

 

A week from now (if even that long) there'll be a different crackdown. 

 

I saw a naked white guy walking down lower Sukhumvit at lunchtime one day last week. He was clutching some clothes but I couldn't see a work permit.

He does not need a physical one as they are now Digital Work permits....must have been in his cell phone....

[ikke1959]

49 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I wrote "barely above 1%"...

 

 

"Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Thailand unemployment rate for 2021 was 1.42%, a 0.32% increase from 2020. Thailand unemployment rate for 2020 was 1.10%, a 0.38% increase from 2019."

https://www.macrotrends.net › THA

Thailand Unemployment Rate 1991-2023 | MacroTrends

 

Also, official government announcements, as in this news report: 

"The rate of unemployment at the end of the second quarter (2022) came in at 1.4 per cent, the lowest since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, signifying a recovery in the labour market.”

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/economy/40021478

 

What numbers are reliable in Thailand??? TAT? COVID?THB rates?etc etc

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Get a proper job then.

Why? if they are retired and just assisting with the daily chores like setting up tables to help the overworked wife with no customers in the shop, or when driving her to the local Talad to buy the days produce and meat, does one need a chauffer's license...Some of the most stupid things this country does to make life for some people hard. 

 

I was out trimming the trees on the now ex-wifes property surrounding the house, back when we were married, and I was living outside of Udon Thani.  A few local police arrived and they asked me what I was doing with the chainsaw, and when I pointed to the piles of limbs, they called the wife out.  I was told it was illegal for me to have a Chainsaw and to be out cutting the limbs from the trees, as I needed a work permit and a special license for the chainsaw.  So I sold the chainsaw to the neighbor and instead hired some Cambodian workers who worked for her  in her Rubber Tree orchard to cut the branches up.  Oh and I still used the wood after it dried to make Charcoal for the home barbeque I had made from Bricks and Mortar which looked like this

 

Guess I was still needing a work permit to build the BBQ....just so I could cook, which I must still need a work permit for since cooking is a job a Thai can do.

[ThailandRyan]

54 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I wrote "barely above 1%"...

 

 

"Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Thailand unemployment rate for 2021 was 1.42%, a 0.32% increase from 2020. Thailand unemployment rate for 2020 was 1.10%, a 0.38% increase from 2019."

https://www.macrotrends.net › THA

Thailand Unemployment Rate 1991-2023 | MacroTrends

 

Also, official government announcements, as in this news report: 

"The rate of unemployment at the end of the second quarter (2022) came in at 1.4 per cent, the lowest since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, signifying a recovery in the labour market.”

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/economy/40021478

 

So as suspected it is for only those employed by registered companies.  How many of the tourism businesses are registered, like the food carts, massage workers, trinket sellers walking around etc...I still find Thailand's posted numbers an actual farce, sorry, not a dig at you just the labor department.

[StayinThailand2much]

9 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

So as suspected it is for only those employed by registered companies.  How many of the tourism businesses are registered, like the food carts, massage workers, trinket sellers walking around etc...I still find Thailand's posted numbers an actual farce, sorry, not a dig at you just the labor department.

Of course are the numbers questionable. -

I was just wondering why now there was (another) such crackdown.