Thai authorities discover some 700 foreign workers filling jobs reserved for locals
Most of the workers are street vendors, hairdressers, drivers, and masseurs, a government spokesman said. In tourist resorts, several traditional practices can only be performed by Thai nationals. Most come from Myanmar, where Thailand today delivered its first shipment of humanitarian aid.
Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) – In the last six months, the Thai government has discovered more than 700 foreigners occupying jobs reserved for Thai nationals, government spokesman Kharom Polpornklang reported last week, speaking about the activities of the Employment Department (ED) in recent months.
After a series of complaints, mainly from the country's tourist provinces, the ED conducted inspections in 25,628 businesses between 1 October and 18 March, resulting in legal proceedings against 820 with charges falling on 721 for hiring migrant workers to fill positions reserved for Thais.
Most of the detained foreigners were employed as street vendors, hairdressers, drivers, and masseurs, Kharom Polpornklang said – 316 from Myanmar, 175 from Cambodia, 106 from Laos, 65 from India, 42 from Vietnam and 5 from China.
In Thailand, some occupations are strictly off-limits to foreigners, mainly related to traditional practices, such as making paper umbrellas, Thai dolls, alms bowls (used by monks), or images of the Buddha.
Other jobs, on the other hand, allow exceptions in the case of skilled workers or international agreements with other countries.
Recently, Chalermpong Sangdee, an MP from the Move Forward Party, asked the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Development to have more businesses in Phuket inspected; the latter is a well-known tourist destination.
Often, he explained, some businesses, particularly in real estate, are run by foreigners on long-stay visas.
It is no coincidence that most of the foreigners found in illegal situations come from Myanmar, which has been plunged in a brutal civil war since 2021.
Meanwhile, the first delivery of humanitarian aid to Myanmar’s internally displaced people was made today. The Thai and Myanmar Red Cross handed out about 4,000 relief bags with food and other necessities at the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border crossing.
This is part of Thailand's wider peace initiative, and is expected to reach 20,000 Myanmar refugees in Karen State; however, Myanmar’s exiled National Unity Government (NUG) has harshly criticised it because it relied on permits granted by the military junta and, given the scale of the country’s humanitarian tragedy, it should be done on a larger scale.
According to the United Nations, at least 2.6 million people have been displaced by the fighting and more than 18 million need assistance.
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17/11/2004
