July 23, 2025, 15.00 hours local time in Malaysia – Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, Permanent Secretary of Labour, assigned Mr. Sakdinart Sonthisakyotin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, along with Mr. Komes Piyaphan, Inspector-General of the Department of Skill Development, Ms. Tharinee Limchularat, Labour Counsellor at the Royal Thai Embassy in Malaysia, and their delegation, to hold bilateral discussions with Dr. Hebat Hisham bin Mohd. Yusoff, Undersecretary of the Immigration Affairs Division, Ministry of Home Affairs of Malaysia. The key agenda included proposals to increase the quota for hiring Thai workers, the sharing of labour statistics, and discussions to reduce fees and ease work permit conditions, especially for Thai workers from Thailand’s five southern border provinces.
Mr. Sakdinart Sonthisakyotin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, stated that he had been entrusted by the Permanent Secretary of Labour to represent the Ministry in advancing bilateral labour cooperation. He proposed that the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs consider increasing the quota for Thai workers in critical sectors, citing mutual economic and social stability benefits, particularly for border regions. The Thai delegation also requested access to data on legally employed Thai workers collected by Malaysia’s Immigration Department to help strengthen labour management and cooperation. The Malaysian side informed that they manage foreign labour through the FWCMS (Foreign Workers Centralised Management System), which now operates through a nearly fully digitalised system.
Mr. Sakdinart added that the discussions also addressed ways to reduce costs and facilitate work permit issuance for Thai workers, especially those from the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, and Satun, where there is a high rate of migration to Malaysia for employment. These efforts are expected to yield mutual benefits for both countries.
“I sincerely hope this meeting will serve as a foundation for further cooperation in labour matters. The Ministry of Labour stands ready to provide full support, assistance, and coordination in all labour-related endeavours between our two nations,” Mr. Sakdinart concluded.
