A set of temporary measures were introduced by the National Council for Peace and Order to make it easier for migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to work legally in Thailand in order to ease Thai business operators’ problem of acute labour shortage.
Under announcement number 70/2557 of the NCPO which was issued Wednesday night, one of the measures calls for the setting up of labour coordinating centres in provinces bordering with Cambodia namely Sa Kaew, Chanthaburi, Trat and Surin to consider issuing temporary border passes for Cambodians who wish to work in Thailand.
The Ministry of Interior, the Labour Ministry, the Immigration Bureau and agencies concerned with oversee these centres which will start operational on Thursday (today).
The coordinating centres will make personal records of the Cambodian migrant workers and to issue them with ID cards.
The Cambodians, whether they used to work in Thailand or not, are advised to apply with the respective centres before July 25 if they want to work in Thailand. Applying after the July 25 deadline will be treated with different protocols.
In case the Cambodian migrant workers’ qualifications meet those of the potential Thai employers already notified with the centres or the workers used to work for the employers, the employers can directly accept the workers and apply for temporary work permits for them later on.
The temporary work permits last 60 days and the workers with the permits can work immediately.
On top of the border coordinating centres, a centre to provide registration service for foreign migrant workers will be set up in every province to issue temporary work permits. The first such service centre will be in Samut Sakhon.
Migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar who used to work illegally in Thailand or whose work permits have expired are advised to report to these service centres at each respective province.
However, the temporary work permits and temporary border passes will be revoked if any migrant workers are found to be engaged in prostitution, human trafficking, drug dealing, contraband smuggling or engaged in activities which are against peace and order or good morals.