Special center to be set up to facilitate Lao workers

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) – Thailand and Laos agreed to set up a special center to issue documents for Lao migrant workers to upgrade their status during a meeting of the two countries’ labour officials. The meeting held between July 10-11 in Luang Prabang was headed by Director-General for the Department of Employment, Waranon Pitiwan from the Thai side and Anusorn Khamsingsawat, acting head of Lao Department of the Labour Skills Development and Labour Recruitment. The meeting discussed the planned establishment of the special center to upgrade migrant labour status for those, who are now holding temporary work permits or pink cards. The center will be set up in Thailand in August and Lao officials will station there to issue CI (Certificate of Identity) for them. For those undocumented workers, the Lao authorities will issue travel document for them to travel home and seek passports before returning to work in Thailand. Moreover, the Post-Arrival and Reintegration Center for Migrant Workers will be set up in Mukdaharn in addition to the existing center in Nongkhai, which have already issued e-work permits for more than 5,700 Lao workers. During the meeting, Thailand also explained the content of the newly-imposed law on migrant workers and the relaxation of the rule for documented workers, who has not yet carried work permits. (TNA)