Illegal migrant workers nabbed in Bangkok

BANGKOK, August 16 (TNA) - Thai authorities have arrested 24 illegal migrants in Bangkok, all of whom are from Myanmar working at a sewing plant. The authorities from the Inspection and Job Seekers Protection Division under the Thai Ministry of Labour's Department of Employment and the Immigration Bureau raided the four-storey building used as the sewing plant in the capital's Din Daeng area on Tuesday and found the 24 Myanmar illegal workers. A senior labour specialist, Natthapol Rakchart, told journalists that some of the arrested Myanmar migrants have no work permits, some have expired work permits and some have work permits for other kinds of jobs. An initial interrogation of the illegal migrant workers found that they were hired to work from 7am to 9pm for their wages of 300-500 baht daily at the plant, where they also stayed under the supervision of a Thai employer. All of the 24 illegal migrant workers have been sent to the Suan Plu Immigration Office for prosecution, while the authorities are tracking down their employer for questioning and legal action. Tuesday's operation followed tip-offs that there were several migrants working illegally at the commercial building. (TNA)