Labour Ministry spokesman Phumphat Muanchan said yesterday (June 15) Mr Phiphat had ordered agencies to cooperate on protecting the jobs of domestic workers while pledging not to normalise illegal employment in the country, despite its prevalence, reports the Bangkok Post.
The order came after a large number of arrests involving illegal expat labourers, said Mr Phumphat, who added one of the main factors contributing to the issue was employers wanting to cut corners and save on recruitment costs.
Moreover, he also blamed the failure of some legal officers to press charges which worsened the problem.
“While the public’s eyes and ears are necessary, progressive working measures are needed to lessen the effect on Thai workers,” said Mr Phumphat.
He said the ministry would work with the police and Department of Employment (DoE) to “find, charge, fine and repatriate” illegal workers.
From Oct 1 to June 13, 4,437 expats were found working in strictly prohibited “List-1” occupations for expats, such as vendors, barbers, traditional masseurs, secretaries and chauffeurs. Of which, the ministry had pressed legal charges against 417.
The ministry also found 4,720 expats working in List-3 conditionally prohibited occupations, such as bricklaying, carpentry, construction, agriculture and fishing, and pressed legal charges against 53.
It had also pressed charges against 696 of the 22,414 expats it found working in List-4 conditionally prohibited occupations such as shop sales assistants and manual labour, said Mr Phumphat.
Mr Phumphat said that Mr Phiphat had insisted that related sectors take steps to coordinate on the suppression of illegal expat employment as more concrete results are needed.
To contribute to the operation, employers were urged to follow the employment law to protect Thai workers’ rights while standardising of the employment system is pursued.
People who find illegal expats being employed in prohibited jobs can notify DoE’s Central Employment Registration and Workers Protection Division to lodge a complaint, said Mr Phumphat.