Thailand has ordered agencies to intensify inspections of foreign workers and the businesses employing them, warning of substantial fines, possible prison terms and deportation for breaches of work permit rules.

Deputy government spokesperson Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn said on September 4 that authorities had been told to take a proactive approach against employers, companies and workers who break employment laws.

Employers face heavier penalties

The government has specifically warned employers not to hire foreigners without valid work permits, or to allow foreign staff to work in roles beyond those authorised under their permit.

Jobs cited include Thai massage, barbering, beauty services and driving vehicles. Foreigners are not permitted to carry out these occupations under the Emergency Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers B.E. 2560, as they are reserved for Thai nationals.

A business employing a foreigner without a valid permit, or using them in work outside their approved role, can be fined from 10,000 to 100,000 baht for each worker involved.

For repeat violations, employers could face up to one year in prison, a fine of 50,000 to 200,000 baht per foreign worker, or both. Repeat offenders would also be barred from employing foreign workers for three years.

Deportation risk for workers

Foreigners found working without permission or outside the conditions of their work rights face fines of 5,000 to 50,000 baht.

After paying a fine, they will be deported from Thailand and prevented from applying for a work permit for two years, according to the government warning.

More than 74,000 businesses checked

Patdarasm said the measures are intended to establish lawful and fair employment standards, prevent human trafficking and safeguard work reserved for Thai nationals.

The Ministry of Labour has been conducting regular spot checks with other agencies at businesses across the country. Officials said legal action would follow where breaches were identified.

During the 2026 fiscal year, authorities inspected more than 74,000 businesses nationwide that employ foreign workers. The checks identified more than 1,700 foreign workers in occupations reserved for Thai nationals, the government said.

Inspections will continue as authorities enforce work permit conditions and restrictions on reserved occupations.

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5 September 2026

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I am wondering why there are still job protecting laws.. This is the 21st century, the world has changed in last 50 years. Why must a lot of jobs being protected? If Thais are not willing to do the job, others should be able to do it..barbering, driving vehicles are not doing any damage. Thailand would benefit of it as more there are competitors, people will get inventive, to attrack customers and customers get more service, better quality etc.

And many Thai as are not willing to do the so called protected jobs, there is no competition. See yourself how many laborers from Myanmar and Cambodia are working in Thailand in jobs that Thai could do easily. But these are cheaper workforces and willing to work. Most Thais who complain about foreigners or as said illegal jobs carried out by them, are mostly doing nothing. It is a sad truth

Most foreigners do jobs Thais refuse to do....

The Thai economy would collapse without foreign workers..

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

After paying a fine, they will be deported from Thailand and prevented from applying for a work permit for two years, according to the government warning.

...... and if it's the employers fault, does this still apply? In most cases, it's the emplyer dragging their feet with the promise of a work permit that never seems to come!

54 minutes ago, hughrection said:

...... and if it's the employers fault, does this still apply? In most cases, it's the emplyer dragging their feet with the promise of a work permit that never seems to come!

Are there many cases where foreigners hassle and threaten Thai employers to get them a job + work permit?

The fault is 100% on the people who are looking for and hire foreign workforce.

1 hour ago, redwood1 said:

Most foreigners do jobs Thais refuse to do....

The Thai economy would collapse without foreign workers..

Without foreign workers, low paying jobs would offer better wages to Thais.

It's sad enough that there needs to be 'minimum wage' laws, if not, some employers wouldn't even offer that.

Edited yesterday at 02:41 AM1 day by KhunLA

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Without foreign workers, low paying jobs would offer better wages to Thais.

It's sad enough that there needs to be 'minimum wage' laws, if not, some employers wouldn't even offer that.

Why is minimum wage so sad? It keeps employers from taking advantage of the workers. Without foreign workers a lot of these jobs wouldn’t get done by Thais. Foreign workers stay on the job and are consistent and punctual and productive, a lot of Thais quit and move on to something else.

Edited yesterday at 02:51 AM1 day by ArchieBunker

2 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Most foreigners do jobs Thais refuse to do....

The Thai economy would collapse without foreign workers..

Indeed.... they are protected jobs too, but are not mentioned, as the wages are low and Thai refuse to do them.. Look at factories, how many Burmese people are working there long hours for low wages. Thai think they have to earn more and often they ask ridiculous wages for small works.. If really the law was enforced that nobody is allowed to jobs Thai could do, the factories could close their business as no Thai wants that kind of job. They better like to open a coffeeshop with no customers instead...Thatb is why the outdated law should be abolished... If Thai complained that foreigners take their job they have to proof they could show that others were not needed, but those who scream most, are mostly doing the least

29 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Look at factories, how many Burmese people are working there long hours for low wages

As mentioned in the OP:

Jobs cited include Thai massage, barbering, beauty services and driving vehicles.

-- which are jobs Thais DO want to do.

Most of the large number of Burmese and Lao working in factories are there via special work permits

Edited yesterday at 04:37 AM1 day by JerryM

9 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering why there are still job protecting laws.. This is the 21st century, the world has changed in last 50 years. Why must a lot of jobs being protected? If Thais are not willing to do the job, others should be able to do it..barbering, driving vehicles are not doing any damage. Thailand would benefit of it as more there are competitors, people will get inventive, to attrack customers and customers get more service, better quality etc.

And many Thai as are not willing to do the so called protected jobs, there is no competition. See yourself how many laborers from Myanmar and Cambodia are working in Thailand in jobs that Thai could do easily. But these are cheaper workforces and willing to work. Most Thais who complain about foreigners or as said illegal jobs carried out by them, are mostly doing nothing. It is a sad truth

There are many similarities between Thailand and some other countries, such as the USA.

Both pretend to be democracies, but they are not. Both "democracies" are essentially run under the "guidance" of big business interests and/or powerful (Chinese-)Thai business families (in Thailand, the top 1% of these families own 30% of the national wealth). In both countries, big business interests insist of having a minimum wage (which is below the poverty line) and migrant workers (illegal and legal) are essential for increasing profits. Of course, in both countries there are no monopolies or duopolies, and the powerful business families have interests in only one industrial sector, correct?

The lack of real competition is holding back one country; while the other country voted in the last election to destroy itself.

As we know, in Thailand there are laws, and then there is law enforcement, ....

5 hours ago, JerryM said:

As mentioned in the OP:

Jobs cited include Thai massage, barbering, beauty services and driving vehicles.

-- which are jobs Thais DO want to do.

Most of the large number of Burmese and Lao working in factories are there via special work permits

I agree with you jobs that Thais WANT to do, but most they don't as they lack the skills. Just vehicle driving, nobody got any decent education in it. some foreigners drive like crazy too, but most had a decent driving education. Mote competition will lift up the economy and the country. Vehicle driving as an example... Good drivers will find easier a job than the accidentmakers.

We need some perspective here, as "foreigners" is a pretty much catch-all phrase that means little in reality. Are we talking about Lao/Burmese etc. construction workers, or business operators from wherever, to African/Middle-Eastern type, or Europeans scamming it to teachers to general scammers?

These days, you need a work permit to be legit, and that means a non-B which can only be applied for from outside the country, or a non-O which is basically being officially married or that dependants in the country etc. and how long you have been married.

I understand the Thais clamping down because so many scammers from so many places, mainly India, middle East, and the neighbouring countries are just taking the piss, and this wille nd up being a problem soon.
There will be a huge crackdown because so many scumbags are trying to pull a fast one... I hope they are all arrested for being scumbags as I follow the law and be legit.