Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin commenced the meeting and seminar of the Trade Association for entrepreneurship development, import foreign workers, and a special lecture on foreign worker management in 2021 – 2022. The session aims to build confidence among entrepreneurs, employers, and employees to resolve labour shortages, to drive the industry to its full potential.
On March 13, 2021, at the Marina Bay Ballroom, Novotel Marina Sriracha & Koh Si Chang, Sriracha District, Chonburi Province, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin presided over the opening ceremony of the Trade Association meeting and seminar for entrepreneurship development, foreign workers, and a special lecture on foreign workers management from 2021 – 2022. Assistant to the Labour Minister Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, the Labour Minister’s Secretariat Mr. Suthep Chitayavong, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Suthi Sukosol, President of the Trade Association for Developing Potential of Foreign Workers Mr. Suchin Phuengprasert, licensees to import foreigners to work in Thailand, employers and entrepreneurs participated in this occasion too. The Labour Minister said that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha, and the Ministry of Labour under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, expressed concern about migrant workers not working properly, escaping due to fear of guilt, and given the new wave of Covid-19 outbreaks, The Labour Minister has implemented measures following the Cabinet’s resolution on December 29, 2020, which approved a waiver for foreigners of the three nationalities (Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar) to stay in the Kingdom and work legally, in special circumstances. On January 26, 2021, there were 654,864 registered migrant workers, following measures to control and prevent the spread of Covid-19 among migrant workers and allow illegal migrant workers to formally enter the work system. The measures also promote the stability of the database system of foreign workers working in Thailand (Big Data) that records how many workers there are, who the employers are, the type of business, and foreign workers’ location.
Mr. Suchart continued that the government was aware of employers and establishments that have a constant demand for workers to meet business needs, being a driving force in the country’s economy. The government implemented a solution to illegal migrant workers’ problem to become legal workers with a temporary stay in the Kingdom and permission to work. At the end of the waiver period granting permission to stay in the Kingdom and work temporarily, workers who want to continue working can be imported in the form of an MOU between Thailand and the parties, ensuring labour protection with the law. Such measures also prevent human trafficking. The Ministry of Labour thanked the Trade Association for developing potential entrepreneurs who import foreign workers and related persons to cooperate with the government sector. He asked for their cooperation to provide knowledge and advice to foreign workers, including employers and entrepreneurs, allowing foreign workers to have health insurance and enter the social security system if they work in a company that is eligible for social security, or purchase health insurance if the social security system does not cover it.
Today’s seminar was organized to coordinate knowledge and understanding of the Ministry of Labour and the government’s policies and knowledge of laws, regulations, and the Cabinet’s resolutions related to migrant workers. The participants in the seminar that operate a business in providing services related to foreign labour management will have the same knowledge and practice throughout the country, which will benefit employers, employees, and companies importing foreigners to work in the country. This will help resolve labour shortages, enabling employers and companies to drive various industries and be fully effective.
President of the Trade Association for Developing Potential of Foreign Workers, Mr. Suchin Phuengprasert, thanked the government under Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha for assigning Mr. Suchart Chomklin as the Labour Minister who cares and is truly dependable for the workforce.
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Division of Public Relations
13 March 2021
