BangkokPost-Feb 23
Businesses have appealed to the Labor Ministry to reduce the expenses involved in importing migrant workers and shore up labor shortages. Labor Minister Suchart Chomklin said so far labor imports via the memorandum of understandings (MoU) signed with neighboring countries have missed their targets. Many business owners have sought to recruit migrant workers from Myanmar through an MoU. However, the ongoing unrest has prevented recruitment from being processed. The ministers said business operators were concerned that if not enough workers are imported in time, their businesses would be unable to meet orders and subsequently face a fine.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was particularly worried about the construction sector which relies heavily on migrant workers. The private companies have urged the ministry to find other ways to amend regulations governing the import of foreign labor in order to reduce costs, for example, cutting back on expenses associated with health screening and quarantine. To date, businesses have submitted 1,813 requests to bring in 113,717 migrant workers via the MoUs. However, so far, only about 300 workers from Cambodia have arrived in Thailand and been employed under that agreement. The Labor Ministry has agreed to support bringing in migrant workers in nine border provinces, starting with Chanthaburi. Under the arrangement, workers can cross into Thailand to work and return home at the end of each working day. Five provinces, including Chanthaburi, share their borders with Cambodia and the rest with Myanmar. Read more at: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2268495/govt-urged-to-cut-labour-import-cost
