Labour Authorities to Enforce Penalties against Unauthorized Foreign Workers Engaging in Forbidden Employment
Labour Ministry's Tightened Enforcement Against Foreign Workers in Reserved Thai Jobs
The Labour Ministry of Thailand is ramping up its efforts to prevent foreign workers from neighbouring countries from taking jobs reserved for Thai nationals. This move comes as a result of policies implemented by Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn in response to numerous complaints about foreign workers being employed illegally.
Classifications of Restricted Jobs
There are two primary categories of jobs exclusively for Thais:
- Prohibited Occupations: These roles are completely off-limits to foreign workers, with positions such as street vendors, barbers, traditional masseuses, clerks, secretaries, and drivers frequently encountered[2][4].
- Conditionally Allowed Occupations: Foreigners are only eligible for work in these roles if their employers secure prior approval. This includes positions such as bricklayers, carpenters, construction technicians, farmhands, cattle workers, fishermen, shop vendors, and labourers[4].
Crackdown Results
- Category 1: Prohibited Occupations
- 4,437 foreign workers were inspected.
- 417 faced legal action for working illegally[2][4].
- Category 3: Allowed with Conditions
- 4,720 foreign workers were inspected.
- 53 faced legal action for lacking the necessary permission to work[4].
- Category 4: Allowed with Conditions
- 22,414 foreign workers were inspected.
- 696 faced legal action for not possessing the required permission[4].
Collaboration and Enforcement
The Labour Ministry is collaborating with the police and the Department of Employment to identify, charge, penalize, and repatriate illegal workers. The ministry recognizes the need for increased collaboration among agencies to safeguard Thai jobs and halt the normalization of unlawful employment[2][3].
Issues and Causes
Employers often opt for unofficial methods to save recruitment costs, contributing to the issue. Additionally, some legal officers have failed to enforce penalties, which has allowed the problem to persist[2]. In certain instances, authorities have overlooked these violations, complicating enforcement efforts[4].
Tags
- Labour Ministry
- Thai jobs
- foreign workers
- prohibited jobs
- illegal employment
- Thailand
- This crackdown on foreign workers in reserved Thai jobs has significantly impacted the general news and politics landscape in Thailand, raising discussions about policy-and-legislation for the protection of local employment.
- With the Labour Ministry enforcing stricter regulations, it is expected that the health of the Thai economy could be affected by the decrease in the workforce in certain sectors like construction, farming, and retail, while the justice system may potentially see an increase in crime-and-justice cases due to the repatriation of illegal workers.
- Given the Labour Ministry's renewed focus on combating illegal employment, businesses reliant on these sectors should be aware of the implications of this policy and consider exploring alternative ways to ensure compliance with regulations to maintain their operations within the confines of the law.
