Two million foreign workers illegally work in Thailand

[VINCENT2012]

working legally in thailand burocraticly is a mess, it is also not adapted to the real situation, .. ...for example my self i'd like to have a work permit and pay taxes for the resort i build with my own money, but i can not afford the obligation to have a 50 000 baths wages every mounth plus the obligation to have 7 more unprofessional thai people to employ that i dont need anyway....who knowing the issan they come to work today and tomorrow they dont show up..... plus the obligation to have profit or my work permit will be cancelled......conclusion, it is symply not possible for me to have or apply for a work permit, because where i live it is a litle village of 300 people where we get 300 to 1000 baths a day when lucky.....very far from the 50 000 baths required.

also why such a discrimination with farang? the wages in ubon for thais i know are about 6000 to 15 000 for the lucky one per mounth (and around thailand too).so again why do we have the obligation to earn a money that only a very good business can give.

why the rules for chinese,asian or indians are diferent than for westerner ?

now the big question is ! because now they know who and where.

are they going to send 2 000 000 people back home ? normaly when the statistic give you a number like this , a lot more are not in the computer system.

but i'd like to see the results of such a politic....

[Lupatria]

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

Quite a few i suppose

lee b - Would you mind to share the source of your brilliant one-liners?

[firestar]

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

1. it's already required but If they could get documentation they wouldn't come as illegals now would they. 2. Considering who controls that traffic the chances of it happening are zero (easier to beat on the small Suvarnabhumi taxi mafia to impress the simple minded ) but the real business done by the big boys will keep on going as usual. remember only last week Thailand was the only country to oppose a vote in Geneva strengthening convention against slave labor before backtracking 3. Apart form places like Samui where it is impossible to find any kind of labor for some jobs the whole point of employing illegals is to pay them less.

Edited June 19, 2014 by firestar

[gamini]

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.

same as the situatiom in the UK NHS .immigrants do al the dirty work

[transam]

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.

same as the situatiom in the UK NHS .immigrants do al the dirty work

When I was young I did dirty work, whats the problem. If immigrants don't want to do it then go back to where you come from and find cleaner work. Easy really.

[Halion]

Here we go again concentrating on the effect with little action taken against the cause which is Thai nationals who exploit the illegal workers knowingly and for profit. Bang up some of these in jail for a significant period and you may actually start to get somewhere with this problem.

[mok199]

thailand must have a surplus of about 2million scooter taxi loafers..PUT THEM TO WORK...

[rebelplatoon]

Like they will ever sent them all home..... They will have to actually do hard labour themselves.

[wabothai]

So if i get it right all illegal workers are registered.

[thurien]

I wonder how many of these illegals are English teachers ?

do you think the English instructors come from Cambodia exclusively these days? would give an explanation as to the fancy accent of many Thai students...

[joshstiles]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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.

What is a postie?

[kippers]

What a truly ludicrous statement,how on earth can you say that there are so many illegal workers in Thailand if you don't really know who and where they are! Why only 2 million when it could be 150 million, much more sensational and much better headlines.

I would love a job as a thai journalist, don't do anything all day, when your deadline approaches, quickly make something up, using the most atrocious English and grammar possible.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[QDG]

Carry on bickering guys. As for myself, I never came here to work, but retire, the much maligned and misnamed Junta, are in my opinion doing a good job.

It might be time to tell you that it took UK 600 years to achieve democracy, it never really arrived until about circa 1932.So although' you can't wait that long, have a little patience.

Are you content that all the UK ''ILLEGALS''stay in place? Didn't think so!.

[Tomtomtom69]

working legally in thailand burocraticly is a mess, it is also not adapted to the real situation, .. ...for example my self i'd like to have a work permit and pay taxes for the resort i build with my own money, but i can not afford the obligation to have a 50 000 baths wages every mounth plus the obligation to have 7 more unprofessional thai people to employ that i dont need anyway....who knowing the issan they come to work today and tomorrow they dont show up..... plus the obligation to have profit or my work permit will be cancelled......conclusion, it is symply not possible for me to have or apply for a work permit, because where i live it is a litle village of 300 people where we get 300 to 1000 baths a day when lucky.....very far from the 50 000 baths required.

also why such a discrimination with farang? the wages in ubon for thais i know are about 6000 to 15 000 for the lucky one per mounth (and around thailand too).so again why do we have the obligation to earn a money that only a very good business can give.

why the rules for chinese,asian or indians are diferent than for westerner ?

now the big question is ! because now they know who and where.

are they going to send 2 000 000 people back home ? normaly when the statistic give you a number like this , a lot more are not in the computer system.

but i'd like to see the results of such a politic....

The rules on how much you have to earn to get an extension of stay for employment purposes are based on nationality, not on race. Still, it can be seen as discriminatory. Aussies, Europeans, Americans, Japanese need to earn the most, followed by Singaporeans, Eastern Europeans, Russians and finally Africans (except South Africa) and nationals of other Asian nations including India etc.

[hugocnx]

What the heck, talking about 0.3%. Imagine what cost involved to get this figure down.

Let it be, it's mostly about poor people.

Agreed if you say 'the law is the law' .

Edited June 19, 2014 by hugocnx

[Thaifever]

I hope they deport these people and these people find better jobs/lives in their own countries, leaving the Thais to dig their own ditches, cook their own food, and wach their own clothes. How is it that the Thais eneded up with the better economy? Yes I forgot, they were never bombed and exploited like Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

[hugocnx]

I hope they deport these people and these people find better jobs/lives in their own countries, leaving the Thais to dig their own ditches, cook their own food, and wach their own clothes. How is it that the Thais eneded up with the better economy? Yes I forgot, they were never bombed and exploited like Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Bullocks, remember who are doing the dirty jobs in the world?

The Mex in America, the Turks in Europe, the Thai in Arabic countries, many more examples.

When it gets to the point we are all exploiting 'slaves'. And of course I never mentioned you sir/mam.

[Emster23]

Booting out illegals is good thing for average Thai. Illegals who work for less, have fewer benefits (if any) drive wages down across the board. IF wages went up for Thais, and there were more jobs open due to absence of illegals, perhaps efficiency and good management practices might actually evolve here. Higher pay, but actually have to work (thinking of most sales people at 7, home pro etc who just stand around or tweet all day). There would be adjustment period for sure, but should be for the better. Plus wages paid here would be spent here, not sent to neighboring countries.

[hugocnx]

Booting out illegals is good thing for average Thai. Illegals who work for less, have fewer benefits (if any) drive wages down across the board. IF wages went up for Thais, and there were more jobs open due to absence of illegals, perhaps efficiency and good management practices might actually evolve here. Higher pay, but actually have to work (thinking of most sales people at 7, home pro etc who just stand around or tweet all day). There would be adjustment period for sure, but should be for the better. Plus wages paid here would be spent here, not sent to neighboring countries.

If as was mentioned in comments al over, the Cambodians already have like triple salary in Thailand. No wonder they wanna come over.

And the Thai pay them probably half of the expectation. Call it a win win situation.

Edited June 19, 2014 by hugocnx

[klauskunkel]

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

Does this include the slaves? ...and whatcha gonna do about it?

Ahhh, wait, you're gonna count them again, right?

Edited June 19, 2014 by klauskunkel

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[sydneyjed]

So what sort of implications does this hold for the impending ASEAN members such as Australian nationals who may want to invest their time/money and expertise into Thailand during this much touted event due to take place in 2015..as the advertising posters openly being displayed around Thailand?More questions than answers right now regarding wether Thailand will actually abide to the ASEAN code of practice or just interpret their own willy nilly Thai way of doing things!

[northernjohn]

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.

I was never asked to show 20,000 baht at the airport. That is a silly thing to do what with todays ATM cards and machines all over the country. Who is going to get 20,000 baht in the airport in the country they are departing from? The rates are truly outrageous there. The only question I was ever asked was did I have over $10,000.

Of course now with a retirement and permission to stay in my passbook they could care less if I was broke.

[firestar]

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

Does this include the slaves? ...and whatcha gonna do about it?

Ahhh, wait, you're gonna count them again, right?

Yep, and whatever you do don't mention how these slaves get into Thailand....the last guy who did, republishing a Pulitzer award winning article from Reuters, has been arrested and faces up to 7 years in jail. #bringhappiness

Edited June 19, 2014 by firestar

[wilcopops]

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".

Try selling that to UKIP or the Tea Party! Edited June 19, 2014 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

So what sort of implications does this hold for the impending ASEAN members such as Australian nationals who may want to invest their time/money and expertise into Thailand during this much touted event due to take place in 2015..as the advertising posters openly being displayed around Thailand?More questions than answers right now regarding wether Thailand will actually abide to the ASEAN code of practice or just interpret their own willy nilly Thai way of doing things!

So are you sure Australia will join ASEAN???

[wilcopops]

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

Quite a few i suppose

lee b - Would you mind to share the source of your brilliant one-liners?

Stunning piece of deduction!

[stickylies]

of which 95% working illegally - and underpaid with no healthcare - with the "hear nothing see nothing say nothing" "approval" of the powers that be.... when thailand NEEDS migrant workers due to growing economy it's the first to tolerate illegal workers. when economy slows down they wanna get rid of them. ah, the smell of vulgar opportunism and padthai... love it!

Edited June 19, 2014 by stickylies

[stickylies]

lee b - Would you mind to share the source of your brilliant one-liners?

lee b is not the brightest guy on TVF. forgive him.

[wilcopops]

I hope they deport these people and these people find better jobs/lives in their own countries, leaving the Thais to dig their own ditches, cook their own food, and wach their own clothes. How is it that the Thais eneded up with the better economy? Yes I forgot, they were never bombed and exploited like Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Bullocks, remember who are doing the dirty jobs in the world?

The Mex in America, the Turks in Europe, the Thai in Arabic countries, many more examples.

When it gets to the point we are all exploiting 'slaves'. And of course I never mentioned you sir/mam.

So you are saying that because exploitation takes place elsewhere it doesn't matter that it happens here? Edited June 19, 2014 by wilcopops