Two million foreign workers illegally work in Thailand

[webfact]

Two million foreign workers illegally work in Thailand



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Employment revealed Wednesday latest statistics pertaining to foreign workers currently employed in Thailand. It said two million foreign workers are working illegally in the country.

It said the number of foreign nationals legally employed in the country under the terms of the Department of Employment total 2,304,700 persons and of these, 1,736,740 is from Myanmar followed by Cambodian workers.

The number of foreign workers who have had their nationalities validated however, amount to only 1,824,508 persons.

Foreign workers who are working in the country under inter-nation agreements or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) total 373,880.

On top of these, there are 160,000 foreign workers awaiting validation papers from their parent countries following application by local employers.

It also stated that 12,624 illegal foreign workers who had been employed in the fishing industry throughout Thailand have been processed and are now legally employed after their employers put up their names for consideration.

This statistic, however, is only for the period between the middle of the previous year up to the month of May of this year.

The Labour Ministry estimates that there may be as many as two million foreign workers currently employed in the country and are not registered.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/two-million-foreign-workers-illegally-work-thailand/


-- Thai PBS 2014-06-19

[Soutpeel]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

[pookiki]

The stats change every day. Anyone who has a fairly good understanding of the migrant worker situation knows that even these revised figures are low. The reason there are so many undocumented workers in Thailand is that these workers can be exploited most. They are a completely expendable commodity. The brokers and traffickers make lots of money while the workers are left in debt bondage or involuntary servitude.

[JoePai]

When I first read the headline I thought they were talking about Russians in Phuket

[JeremyBowskill]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

207,961. Wonder no more.

[Hawkman]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Probably a huge amount. Also not just farang, many Japanese, Cambodians etc etc.

They need to rethink some of their work permit requirements that's for sure. For example, no work on an Education Visa for one year, not many can financially support that, surely like other countries they could add a no more than 20 hours a week working policy. Change the ridiculous and pointless degree requirement to a CELTA/TEFL plus teaching demonstration and teaching interview at MoE which would mean more quality teachers which will benefit the students too. For online workers it's time for the world as a whole to get with the times and think about doing a tax share policy across countries for people who work online abroad (this is not just aimed at Thailand, but all countries).

By doing this, they will have more legal workers and less illegal ones, which means more tax and benefit to the country.

[inutil]

This idea that people are terrified of manual work is crazy. Manual work is fantastic. I used to be a postie, it felt like id genuinely earned my pay cheque at the end of every day bombing up and down steps carrying a 16kg bag. Nothing makes me enjoy work more than feeling like ive earned my pay. It beats the hell out of sitting in an office doing inventory or ordering stock (and browsing the web when nothings going on).

The question isnt the TYPE of work, its the pay for it. If people are paid a living wage, people will do the job. Theres plenty of people like me in the world who feel more fulfillment doing dirty jobs than being couped up in a cubicle (whilst monitored) answering the phone to the dictates of a bullshit script. Office work can suck it. But it usually pays better. So the market speaks. And what it says is "Thai people are lazy, they want someone else to clean their shit up after them! so we NEEEEED these back door immigrants to do the job no one else will". And what it really means is: "Thai people wont do the jobs at the pay and conditions we're prepared to offer them, so we need to bring in people who will work for shit pay".

Dont get me wrong. Im pro immigration and full on happy with worker movement. If you can do the job better, then why the hell should i be protected because of an accident of birth? Open borders. But above board and documented.

[Soutpeel]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Probably a huge amount. Also not just farang, many Japanese, Cambodians etc etc.

They need to rethink some of their work permit requirements that's for sure. For example, no work on an Education Visa for one year, not many can financially support that, surely like other countries they could add a no more than 20 hours a week working policy. Change the ridiculous and pointless degree requirement to a CELTA/TEFL plus teaching demonstration and teaching interview at MoE which would mean more quality teachers which will benefit the students too. For online workers it's time for the world as a whole to get with the times and think about doing a tax share policy across countries for people who work online abroad (this is not just aimed at Thailand, but all countries).

By doing this, they will have more legal workers and less illegal ones, which means more tax and benefit to the country.

Or like the traffic laws enforce the existing laws properly as a start

[Lancelot]

The number does not supprise me- all the building sites are staffed with foreign workers, at least for the unskilled manual labor. I've also noticed many of the staff in Thai style restaurants are not Thai.

Same in the USA, when I was a kid, I cut grass for spending money. Now people hire lawn maintenance firms, staffed by Mexicans. I would wager that not one single "American" picks fruit or vegetables in the USA...

[Cuchulainn]

Most Thais think 'Manual Labour' is a Spaniard!

You're too kind!

[BillyBobThai]

[lee b]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Quite a few i suppose

[Cypress Hill]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

I sincerely doubt they have a clue.

If they did, they'd be arresting people up as they carried out their duties illegally at the office or classroom instead of grilling people at the airport because the poor sods didn't have the foresight to carry THB20,000 on their person to prove they've got enough money to live without working.

[Loles]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

I just recognized in photo 10 - 12 English teachers ......

[anon467367354]

maybe time for a green card system and start collecting tax. Let anyone work that wants to and let anyone hire anybody they choose.

[transam]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Hey, leave me outta this...............

[garyinhuahin]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Probably a huge amount. Also not just farang, many Japanese, Cambodians etc etc.

They need to rethink some of their work permit requirements that's for sure. For example, no work on an Education Visa for one year, not many can financially support that, surely like other countries they could add a no more than 20 hours a week working policy. Change the ridiculous and pointless degree requirement to a CELTA/TEFL plus teaching demonstration and teaching interview at MoE which would mean more quality teachers which will benefit the students too. For online workers it's time for the world as a whole to get with the times and think about doing a tax share policy across countries for people who work online abroad (this is not just aimed at Thailand, but all countries).

By doing this, they will have more legal workers and less illegal ones, which means more tax and benefit to the country.

Look again. We're talking about ditch diggers, construction, and fishing workers here. These people are NOT coming on education visas!

The farang work scofflaws are are tiny fraction of the numbers they talk about here.

[Hawkman]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

Probably a huge amount. Also not just farang, many Japanese, Cambodians etc etc.

They need to rethink some of their work permit requirements that's for sure. For example, no work on an Education Visa for one year, not many can financially support that, surely like other countries they could add a no more than 20 hours a week working policy. Change the ridiculous and pointless degree requirement to a CELTA/TEFL plus teaching demonstration and teaching interview at MoE which would mean more quality teachers which will benefit the students too. For online workers it's time for the world as a whole to get with the times and think about doing a tax share policy across countries for people who work online abroad (this is not just aimed at Thailand, but all countries).

By doing this, they will have more legal workers and less illegal ones, which means more tax and benefit to the country.

Look again. We're talking about ditch diggers, construction, and fishing workers here. These people are NOT coming on education visas!

The farang work scofflaws are are tiny fraction of the numbers they talk about here.

Quite agree with you. I was just responding to the English teachers and online point.

[kkup]

If those 2 million jobs went to thai people, the country would spin in reverse. They should publish a press release saying thank you for getting the job done.

[pepi2005]

More about the situation of "foreign workers" here:

Revealed: Asian slave labour producing prawns for supermarkets in US, UK

Thai "ghost ships" that enslave, brutalise and even kill workers are linked to global prawn supply chain, Guardian investigation discovers

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/series/modern-day-slavery-in-focus

[jphantom]

Work habits and practices change - largely due to idiot politicians attempting to manipulate a system, in response to prodding by vested interests. In Thailand, who knows for sure, but ostensibly to prohibit educated foreigners from competing for work cherished by Thais. Also provides hush money for corrupt police.

In the US, moronic laws block kids from earning money for their education and spending.... Can't cut lawns, can't delivery newspapers, tiny kids can't sell lemonade......... but this will not change. The more nit wits in public office looking for graft and corruption money, the worse it will get.

[wilcopops]

So where does the "2 million illegal" come from?

you can't extrapolate it from any on the numbers above........are they going to have a phone poll?

"Are you illegal?"

"Yes, I am"

"OK, Thanks"

I have to say I'm increasingly worried about the focus on immigrants by the current media which is largely run by the junta......... I do hope they aren't trying to find a scapegoat.

One needs to bear in mind that every foreign worker has an employer, and that employer directly or indirectly whether a company or person is THAI.

[gchurch259]

Nbr 1 Require Documentation to work in Thailand. Nbr 2 Get rid of brokers or other middlemen who rape the work force to get a job. Nbr 3 make employers pay them minimum wages.

As for English Teachers required to have a degree, a degree does not make you competent and some times not even educated.

Jerry

[RigPig]

I love work, I can watch it all day...

[rafish]

Let's get the story right for a change. 2 million plus 3rd country nationals forced to work illegally in Thailand by unscrupulous employers. Forced to live in squatters camps, without running water, trash/garbage disposal, human waste flowing under their tin huts, no medical services, no insurance, no pay, and in the end abandoned by their employers. If I missed anything please feel free to add your perception.

Nothing new here except Cambodians are heading for the immigration gates returning home in droves due to Military takeover of Thailand. They've been through one of these before and Pol Pot was not a very good leader according to the book and movie "the Killing Fields."

Pol Pot, 2nd biggest murder in Asian history only out performed by Mao Tse Tung.

[wilcopops]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers or on liners ?

that wouldn't be difficult to work out.

number of schools

Average number of foreign teachers per school

Guestimate number of illegal teachers per school

and then total........

there are about 40,000 schools. On average say 3 foreign teachers per school.

how about 5% are "illegal"?

so 5% of 120,000 = 6000.

how does that sound?

of course it depends what you mean by illegal.

[thumper101]

Just offer up an amnesty with fast track registration centres positioned at all employment offices, then let the employment office act as the agent between employer and worker cutting out the need for traffickers.

All Cambodians carry ID cards... that should be used for validation which can be made instant upon registration...

By the time these Cambodians return, I can see that they may find work is harder to find in Thailand..

Also, just before we enter ASEAN 2015 where there could be a huge influx of people from all over the region, the Cambodians may well just realize their error.

[cocopops]

If you can do the job better, then why the hell should i be protected because of an accident of birth? Open borders. But above board and documented.

This guy gets it.

If I want to work and you want to hire me, that should be all that is required. Regardless of where in the world we currently live or hold "citizenship".

[SOTIRIOS]

...yes...but why blame...persecute, prosecute and incarcerate the workers....???

...there is a lot of organization and collusion behind this phenomenon.....

[waynerooney]

I think the head line should read more like "Two million foreign workers illegally exploited in Thailand by Thai Employers"