Illegal Thai Workers Protest in South Korea, Draw Criticism Online

[webfact]

Photo by Facebook/ Fonfon Snt via Twitter/ Red Skull

 

Thai illegal workers in South Korea have sparked outrage online for recently staging a protest against their arrests. The protestors gathered in front of an immigration office in Gyeonggi Province, asking for the local authorities to halt the crackdown on illegal workers in the country.

 

Pictures of the event were shared on Facebook by a user named Fonfon Snt. The post quickly gained traction on Thai social media, attracting disdain from Thai netizens who accused the illegal workers of tarnishing Thailand's reputation and undermining the opportunities for legal Thai migrants in South Korea.

 

The protestors, identified as Phi Noi or “Little Ghosts,” were criticized by online commenters for their illegal entry and stay in South Korea, the evasion of local taxes, and the unlawful seizure of local jobs.

 

Responding to the online backlash, Fonfon Snt eventually shut down her Facebook account. So far, there has been no official response from the local authorities in South Korea regarding the protest.

 

This is not the first debacle involving illegal Thai workers in South Korea. Earlier, they were criticized for causing stricter entry restrictions for Thai tourists in South Korea, leading to several being barred from entering, including celebrities and popular public figures.
 

-- ASEAN NOW 2024-04-25

 

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

[PJ71]

Pot calling the kettle black innit.

 

They're the worst when people work illegally in Thailand - total hypocrites.

[sqwakvfr]

This might work in NY or LA but not in S. Korea.  Korea is a place where immigration laws are actually enforced.  Korea has many foreign workers but the expecetaion is obey all laws.  

[stoner]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

asking for the local authorities to halt the crackdown on illegal workers in the country.

 

the nerve. give these women a few weeks in jail then deport with lifetime ban.

[gt162]

USA is too forgiving to illegal workers around the world. But if Americans try to work illegally in S .Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, PI, SEA, etc. and see what happens. Same for immigration. 

[Gottfrid]

Right! Work is not illegal. Working without permission is. These total 1di0ts do not seem to understand the word illegal, and ask a foreign government to respect people who are breaking the law. Just send them home on a cargo flight together with an export of chickens.

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Fonfon Snt eventually shut down her Facebook account.

Good, you are Not a migrant worker your a tourist ! now stop whinging about you arrest your not even in jail. Anyone know what their fine is and any other information ?  What next a go Fund me page to pay their fine and ticket home. 

[SmartyMarty]

The usual Thai double standard alive and thriving.

[NativeBob]

Yes, they are a big problem to recruiters in Thailand: they apply for certain job than find another and <deleted> the employer. Cute!

[new2here]

This is, in part, why you hear reports of more occurrences of denied entry by Korean Immigration… rightly or wrongly, the price to be paid for the “sins” of these folks are being paid by the ones who attempt to enter for legitimate reason- but due to past immigration failures, they now come under heighten scrutiny. 

While I am emphatic to those who seek better economic circumstances, I have to acknowledge that - for the most part (and yes, this is a broad statement) - those who come from TH to KR and work illegally aren’t not doing so based on a complete destitute or total lack of any employment opportunity situation at home, but rather seek KR due to its higher pay levels.. Therefore I don’t hold out a lot of empathy in THIS kind of case.

 

[Utalk2mutt]

I just shake my head at the Thai hypocrisy. Any chance they get they dob someone in to the authorities here in Thailand yet they think it’s completely acceptable to work illegally elsewhere and kick off when they get caught out. These idiots protesting are making it worse for everyone else especially those who are working legally as they will now come under greater scrutiny. 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai illegal workers in South Korea have sparked outrage online for recently staging a protest against their arrests. The protestors gathered in front of an immigration office in Gyeonggi Province, asking for the local authorities to halt the crackdown on illegal workers in the country.

Idiots

[ukrules]

Sow it, reap it, simple.

[Pouatchee]

actually i salute them. how many foreigners do i see protesting the unfair going ons against us here?

 

they actually have bravado... more power to them

[bradiston]

Well done girls. The Burmese, Lao and Cambodians should do the same here.

[Puccini]

19 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

actually i salute them. how many foreigners do i see protesting the unfair going ons against us here?...

 

To what unfair "going ons" are you being subjected as an illegal foreign worker in Thailand?

[mancub]

19 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

actually i salute them. how many foreigners do i see protesting the unfair going ons against us here?

 

they actually have bravado... more power to them

Totally misplaced bravado. however.

I don't see many championing the cause of foreigners knowingly working illegally here. Quite the opposite. in fact.

[Puccini]

14 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Well done girls. The Burmese, Lao and Cambodians should do the same here.

 

Are "the Burmese, Lao and Cambodians" to whom you are referring working illegally in Thailand? 

[Pouatchee]

24 minutes ago, Puccini said:

 

To what unfair "going ons" are you being subjected as an illegal foreign worker in Thailand?

 

do you seriously see the symbolism of their standing up for their rights being simply limited to being illegal workers? it goes further than that. as for us, having to pay 500bht for proof of address at immi for a service that should be free is but one example that comes to mind. 

 

24 minutes ago, mancub said:

Totally misplaced bravado. however.

I don't see many championing the cause of foreigners knowingly working illegally here. Quite the opposite. in fact.

 

totally misplaced? yeah... they should just shut up and put up, right? my comment went deeper than just working illegally... read my comment above

[daveAustin]

A lot of folk having a go at the system here, 'hypocrisy' etc. Get that to a degree, but bearing in mind what these girls are doing in Korea is not sponsored by the Thai state and also that most Thais are pretty much down on them. They're probably doing it for attention, to garner a sugardaddy or whatever.

[PremiumLane]

15 hours ago, PJ71 said:

Pot calling the kettle black innit.

 

They're the worst when people work illegally in Thailand - total hypocrites.

 

So working class Thais who work abroad are somehow in charge of immigration policy back here? Learn something new everyday 

[Puccini]

2 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

do you seriously see the symbolism of their standing up for their rights being simply limited to being illegal workers?...

 

This topic is about Thai nationals working illegally in South Korea who staged "a protest against their arrests. The protestors gathered in front of an immigration office in Gyeonggi Province, asking for the local authorities to halt the crackdown on illegal workers in the country", according to the opening post of the topic.

 

Clearly, they have no right to work illegally in that country and I honestly fail to "see the symbolism of their standing up for their rights"

 

I also fail to see any connection with the question about "how many foreigners do i see protesting the unfair going ons against us here", where with "here" you presumably mean Thailand. Surely, you are not suggesting that foreigners working illegally in Thailand, if any there be, should organise a similar protest in Thailand. Anyway, this topic would hardly be the right place for such a suggestion.

[CHdiver]

I see 2 Girls with masks (Covid still rampant in South Korea?) and a sign.

 

One wants her dignity respected. How is her dignity disrespected? She got caught working without permit. Now she gets deported. Again, what has this to do with a disrespected dignity.

 

The other one asks that labor rights of immigrant workers are guaranteed. Well little sunshine, I am sure thouse rights are held upright for legal immigrant workers. However you are in the Country illigal. You have been lying to immigration. You wanted to earn money without paying taxes.the only right you have is to be deported without harm. 

 

Imho a double nothingburger.

[PJ71]

7 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

 

So working class Thais who work abroad are somehow in charge of immigration policy back here? Learn something new everyday 

No, i don't think so.

[bradiston]

13 hours ago, Puccini said:

 

Are "the Burmese, Lao and Cambodians" to whom you are referring working illegally in Thailand? 

 

Edited April 26 by bradiston

[PremiumLane]

5 hours ago, PJ71 said:

No, i don't think so.

 

You don't say.....

[bamnutsak]

So no indignation or disdain heaped on South Korean employers for hiring these Thai workers?

 

Or South Koreans availing themselves of more cost-effective "Personal Services"?

 

Curious.

 

 

[mancub]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

So no indignation or disdain heaped on South Korean employers for hiring these Thai workers?

 

Or South Koreans availing themselves of more cost-effective "Personal Services"?

 

Curious.

 

 

Correct there should be.

Sometimes, however it is not only native people that employ illegals. I know of several legit Thai owned businesses in UK who employ Thai staff who's visas don't permit employment.

[PJ71]

18 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

 

You don't say.....

You obviously had some sort of issue understanding it so yeah, you're welcome.

[sabaiguy]

On 4/24/2024 at 5:45 PM, gt162 said:

USA is too forgiving to illegal workers around the world. But if Americans try to work illegally in S .Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, PI, SEA, etc. and see what happens. Same for immigration. 

???