Work Permits

[andy1308]

Hi everyone,

I apologise if these figures have been published here before, but I found them pretty interesting. They are taken from a story that will be published in the next edition of a magazine I work for.

"The Alien Occupational Control Division of the Ministry of Labour released figures in September showing the number of foreigners receiving work permits in Bangkok in May 2006 stood at 64,352.

The figures show an increase of 16.1 per cent, or 8,933, between May 2005 and May 2006.

Of this figure, 22 per cent are Japanese, 9 per cent are Indian, 8 per cent are British and 7 per cent are American."

My impression is that the number of foreigners here and working legeally was higher - but if these are the official figures than I guess they must be right.

Andy.

[Casanundra]

22 per cent are Japanese

All these figures do is show that the Japanese would never dare work illegally whereas the Indians, Brits and Americans on the other hand...

I wonder what the real number would be if they did this for known illegals working here, I am sure the figures would be alot more interesting.

[Cyberstar]

22 per cent are Japanese

All these figures do is show that the Japanese would never dare work illegally whereas the Indians, Brits and Americans on the other hand...

Do you know the number of Japanese in Thailand as compared to the number of Indians, Brits, etc... ? --- If not, then your conclusion is based on loose grounds.

[Casanundra]

of course I am merely speculating based on the numbers in my Condo where there are about 100 Japanese all living with jobs and from what I can gather after talking to many of them with valid WP and visa's too.

Now compare that off to many of my UK and American and OZ friends and other guys I am aware of all of whom seem to have a job of sorts here but with only a couple of the guys having a valid WP and visa with the majority of the remainder working it on a tourist visa then of course it is easy to come to such conclusions...

But hey I am happy to be flawed in my analysis and data and stats are only as good as the data provided and the conclusions we wish to draw from them be it a correct analysis or not.

[Meerkat]

I heard somewhere (and can't provide a source I'm afraid as I've forgotten), that Thailand is home to more Japanese expats than any other nation in the world. Either that or it was Bangkok home to more than any other city in the world.

[astral]

Can you please give us a link.

I am intrigued to know where the other 54% came from.

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm confused by the quotation from the Labour Ministry. Is that the number of WP's issued in a single month, and only in Bangkok? Surely not; surely it's the total number 'who have received work permits' or who currently hold valid WP's.

Otherwise, the number is 10 to 15 times as high as the May numbers, and that's just Bangkok.

Nobody knows the total numbers. If you ask on a forum such as this, your responses are usually skewed. Even anonymously, the legal ones are more likely to answer, and the illegal ones are tempted to lie.

[skippybangkok]

I heard somewhere (and can't provide a source I'm afraid as I've forgotten), that Thailand is home to more Japanese expats than any other nation in the world. Either that or it was Bangkok home to more than any other city in the world.

Yeh, most live on the River Kwai

[Thaising]

Can you please give us a link.

I am intrigued to know where the other 54% came from.

Burmese, Lao and Cambodian could be the other WP holder or have I miss somethings fishy.

[Casanundra]

Can you please give us a link.

I am intrigued to know where the other 54% came from.

Burmese, Lao and Cambodian could be the other WP holder or have I miss somethings fishy.

I thought one of the biggest issues Thailand had was the amount of illegal workers from Burma, Lao and Cambodia rather than how many of them actually had WP's here

Edited November 3, 2006 by Casanundra

[andy1308]

As I understand it, it's the total number of work permits issued and valid as at May 2006 in Bangkok- like a snapshot at that time.

The source was a press release issued by one of the leading real estate/property companies here, quoting figures from the Ministry of Labor. If anyone is interested I will try and get the percentage breakdown for other nationalities too ?

[andy1308]

Okay .. more info for you guys.

Japanese 22 per cent

Indian 12 per cent

Chinese 9 per cent

British 8 per cent

American 7 per cent

Taiwanese 5 per cent

Filipino 5 per cent

Australian 3 per cent

French 3 per cent

South Korean 2 per cent

Others 24 per cent

I know 'others' is annoying but we can assume they form less than 2 per cent each.

[Casanundra]

Okay .. more info for you guys.

Japanese 22 per cent

Indian 12 per cent

Chinese 9 per cent

British 8 per cent

American 7 per cent

Taiwanese 5 per cent

Filipino 5 per cent

Australian 3 per cent

French 3 per cent

South Korean 2 per cent

Others 24 per cent

I know 'others' is annoying but we can assume they form less than 2 per cent each.

The Indians have gone up by 3%. Did some new Indians arrive since the original post went up or wha?

Edited November 3, 2006 by Casanundra

[andy1308]

No - just a typo from me ! Not good as I work in publishing ! LOL