On June 15, 2021, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin presided over the presentation of foreign labour inspection certificates and concluded the training of the special task force officers to investigate, suppress, arrest and prosecute illegal workers amid the Covid-19 situation.
Mr. Suchart Chomklin revealed that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, is concerned about the Covid-19 situation among foreign workers. They urged the Ministry of Labour to carefully manage migrant workers during this period, including checking and prosecuting foreigners smuggled into the city to work illegally. The Ministry of Labour was also tasked with creating knowledge and understanding for employers/establishments about the guidelines for compliance with employment laws regarding foreign workers.
“The training for special task force officers to investigate, suppress, arrest and prosecute illegal foreigner, is in line with the operational plan following the project to investigate, suppress, arrest and prosecute illegal foreigners amid the Covid-19 situation. The training was carried out for two days, from June 14 to 15, 2021. From this, all 40 trainees will receive a competent official identification card and perform duties of inspection, suppression, arrest, and prosecution of illegal migrant workers working illegally. The special task force officers will conduct an inspection request politely, and create awareness for employers/establishments with foreign workers regarding guidelines on legal compliance, to jointly stop the Covid-19 pandemic, said the Labour Minister.
Director-General of the Department of Employment Mr. Phairoj Chotikasathian said that the committee staff and the trained task force officers would perform duties in their respective areas of responsibility. According to the prescribed plan, the Administrative Working Group has the authority and duty to determine measures and action plans to inspect foreign workers in all areas throughout the Kingdom. As for the five task force units, they have the authority to investigate, suppress, arrest and prosecute foreigners. The first task force group is responsible for the Bangkok metropolitan area and four surrounding provinces. The second task force group is responsible for the central region comprising 22 provinces. The third task force group is responsible for the Northeastern region, with 20 provinces. The fourth task force group is responsible for the Northern region, with 17 provinces, and the fifth task force group is responsible for the Southern region, with 14 provinces. All task force groups will begin to work from mid-June onwards.
“If an employer who accepts foreigners to work without a work permit is found, there will be a fine from 10,000 – 100,000 Baht per foreigner. Repeated offenses are punishable by imprisonment, prohibiting the hiring of foreigners from working for another three years. Foreigners smuggled to work without permission are punishable by fines ranging from 5,000 – 50,000 Baht and are repatriated out of the Kingdom. They cannot apply for a work permit until the sentence is over for two years. If anyone sees or suspects that illegal foreigners are working, they can report clues at all Provincial Employment Offices, the Bangkok Employment Office Area 1-10 or Ministry of Labour’s hotline, call 1506 press 2 for the Department of Employment or the Department of Employment’s hotline, call 1694,” said Mr. Pairoj.
Source: Ministry of Labour
