ID :
332364
Tue, 06/17/2014 - 09:44
Auther :

Legal migrant workers are welcome in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) - The Ministry of Labour has denied that it is cracking down migrant workers in Thailand, insisting that legal migrant workers are welcome in the country. Permanent Secretary for Labour Jirasuk Sugandhajati told journalists on Tuesday that he and Department of Employment Director-General Pravit Khiengpol will visit seaside Chon Buri Province in the Thai East on June 18 to discuss with eastern labour officials and provincial governors on ways to communicate with migrant workers. Jirasuk acknowledged that the move responds to a rumour that Thai authorities are rounding up migrant workers, causing over 100,000 Cambodian workers to have left Thailand over the past weeks. Jirasuk also said that he has ordered his subordinates to make leaflets in Cambodian, Myanmar and Lao languages to tell migrant workers from the neighbouring countries to ignore the rumour. Jirasuk confirmed that his ministry does not have any special policy to arrest migrant workers, expressing his hope that official explanations will prevent a labour shortage among Thai business operators in some industries. Pravit revealed that there are two solutions, the first one is to tell the Cambodian workers who arrive for day-shift work in the morning and to return home in the evening to continue to work in Thailand as usual and the second solution will handle migrant workers in the construction sector which is being affected. Under the solutions, migrant workers must be imported legally and they must carry passports and have visas. Pravit noted that Thai officials will offer one-stop services for the legal import of migrant labourers at three border checkpoints in Aranyaprathet District of Sa Kaeo, Chantaburi and Trat Provinces in the Thai East. However, a small number of Cambodian workers are returning to Thailand through Chantaburi's border pass. Meanwhile, the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border has remained normal, as none of Myanmar migrant workers have flocked back to their home country. The atmosphere at the Thai-Myanmar border at Mae Sai District in Chiang Rai Province in the Thai North has, for instance, remained active as usual, as local immigration officials have seen streams of Myanmar workers coming in and going out across the border as usual. (TNA)

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