Road show to Chiang Mai enables better understanding of the considerable progress made
Mr. Decha Pruekpattanarak, Assistant Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, presided over the Ministry of Labour’s Road Show aiming to raise awareness and create a better understanding of policy management and administration, importation, and prevention & protection of labour rights for alien workers under the government and the ministry’s “Foreign workers and Thai workers are treated equally” framework encouraging entrepreneurs to hire alien workers through legal processes.
Mr. Ekaluck Aunpak of Chiang Mai Provincial Employment Office, reported on the objectives of the event and was welcomed by heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour and alien workers at the Centre for Permission to Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand and Issuance of Certificates of Identity (CI) at Tambon Tha Sala, Mueang District, Chiang Mai.
Mr. Decha revealed that: “The government under the leadership of General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and the Ministry of Labour led by Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Minister, has placed great importance on work management processes pertaining to Cambodian, Laotian, Myanmar and Vietnamese nationals, taking into account national security and safety of the Thai people.”
he Office of the Permanent Secretary’s Public Relations Group Office, Ministry of Labour, is pleased to present an exhibition and activities to the public through its mobile public relations units in accordance with its public relations project. In response to the government and the Ministry of Labour’s missions, our aim is to create awareness and understanding of official policies for administration, importation, and prevention & protection of foreign workers’ rights. In so doing, we aim to raise awareness of the rights of migrant workers under the ‘Foreign workers are treated equally’ framework.”
Employers are thereby encouraged and supported to hire alien workers legally. Under the initiative, government units under supervision of the Ministry of Labour in the province are also focused on integrated administration, importation, prevention & protection of the foreign workers’ rights, so as to ensure that they are treated equally and fairly, the same as Thai workers. Factors include minimum wage rates, medical treatment and fair welfare fom employers. Taken together, this helps prevent human trafficking which has dented Thailand’s international raking.
Mr. Decha continued that: “Organizing public relations activities in this area will help create knowledge and understanding of equal rights between Thai workers and foreign workers so that all are protected by the law of Thailand. It also reflects the Ministry of Labour and the government’s determination to promote and revent alien workers being taken adventage of in their workplaces by employers. The Ministry of Labour and the government anticipate that this will improve Thailand’s human trafficking ranking from Tier 2 to Tier 1.
Mr. Decha also chaired a meeting of head of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Chiang Mai province to follow up on the management, importation, protection & and prevention of the rights of foreign workers at the meeting room of the Chiang Mai Employment office. He duly instructed head of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour follower the foreign work management policy.
There are currently 150,731 alien workers in Chiang Mai who are permitted to work in accordance with the Royal Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers. Of these, 105,942 are workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, 39,350 are without registration status, 4,843 are general aliens, and 596 are aliens in businesses promoted by the Thailand Board of Investment. The work permits of 104,076 aliens from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam permitted to work in Chiang Mai expired on February 13, 2023, and 92,356 of them applied for renewal.
“Employing legal workers helps solve labour shortages, giving the country more security and stabilizing the national economy and society. It also enhances the country’s good image connected to the government’s policy to protect the rights of workers in all groups, reolve all forced labour problems and prevent human trafficking, “ Mr. Decha concluded.
