The Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour gave an address at the Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers, emphasizing Thailand to promote and protect the rights of Thai and foreign workers to a sustainable future without leaving anyone behind.
On September 9, 2019, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Viwat Jiraphanvanich gave an address at the Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers, organized by the Migrant Working Group. The topic was on the management and protection of foreign workers in Thailand under the framework of the ASEAN Consensus. The event took place at the Park Plaza Hotel, Sukhumvit 18, Bangkok. Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour spoke about the ASEAN regional action, including the issuance of the Cebu Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Foreign Workers and the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of the Right of Migrant Workers. The primary driving mechanism in the ASEAN region includes the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers (ACMW). Migrant worker management in Thailand aligns with the ASEAN consensus, whereby operations transpire into 5 items which are 1) education/information 2) protection 3) law enforcement 4) request for help and 5) return to society.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour further said that the government is trying to systematically manage migrant issues, by allowing origin countries to participate in problem resolution by proof of nationality and issuance of a temporary passport or passport as evidence. In addition, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been issued with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam for legal inbound migrant workers. As a result, 3.2 million migrant workers in Thailand are protected and receive benefits according to international standards, which is to prevent human trafficking from the start. The Ministry of Labour has also issued the Royal Decree on the Management of Alien Workers B.E. 2560, and amendments (No. 2) B.E. 2561, to manage the work of migrants systematically. It specifies criteria for migrant labour working with Thai employers and the nature of the work, to resolve the requesting process and the difficulty in changing employers. There are also regulations prohibiting employers from seizing personal identification documents and the determination of duties and responsibilities of licensees bringing foreigners to work with domestic employers to be registered with the Department of Employment, for example.
To promote education and information, as well as the return to society of foreign workers, the Ministry of Labor established the center which welcomes foreign workers upon employment to the termination. The center aims to train and educate foreign workers employed through MOU systems and screen foreign workers to ensure employers match the employment contract to prepare for work in Thailand. It is also a resting point for migrant workers waiting to return to their country. The center also creates awareness about human trafficking, in line with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons project, by providing knowledge to employers/establishments to understand the roles, duties, and treatment of employees, as well as training foreign workers to know and understand their rights, obligations, and regulations to prevent them from becoming a victim of human trafficking. There is also a manual on the rights and privileges of foreign workers in Thai, English and foreign languages (Burmese, Laos, Cambodian and Vietnamese) as a guide for foreign workers on cultural awareness in Thailand, compliance with relevant laws, benefits and find help in Thailand. In addition, it is the establishment of a joint service center for migrant workers in 10 provinces to advise and recommend relevant departments to foreign workers who experience problems from staying and working in Thailand. To increase communication channels, the Department of Employment has created a DOE Help me website in 6 languages, including Thai, English, Burmese, Laos, Cambodian and Vietnamese, to help users file a complaint anonymously. There is also a 1506 hotline, which has interpreters to cover the language gap among migrant workers. The Ministry of Labour has considered the promotion of cooperation with society as an essential social partnership that will drive the sustainable future of Thai and foreign workers, without leaving anyone behind.
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Division of Public Relations/
9 September 2019
