Ten Thai nationals who became illegal migrants in China after being abandoned by their employers have been rescued by officials from the Thai embassy in Beijing, said an informed source Wednesday.
They received help from Thai officials after a nephew of one of the stranded people, Anuphong Tajina, sought assistance from officials in Lampang.
Mr Anuphong said his aunt Saengchan Kaeobunruang, 45, contacted him via the Line mobile application asking him to seek help from authorities to rescue her and the other abandoned workers.
He said she told him she was among 10 Thais lured to work at a massage parlour in Tianjin, a major port city in northeastern China, roughly 10 months ago.
The establishment has since been shut down and the employer refused to help the workers renew their visas, which effectively left the employees as illegal residents, Mr Anuphong said, citing information provided by his aunt.
After rescuing the 10 Thais, the embassy paid an overstay fine of about 50,000 baht for each of them and bought them air tickets back to Thailand, which cost about 12,000 baht per person, said the same source.
The 10 Thai nationals, however, have to pay the embassy back for both the fine and the air ticket, said the source.
Following the incident, the Lampang provincial labour office now has advised those interested in finding jobs overseas to consult work placement companies which are legally registered, or the Department of Employment.
Sombat Niwetrat, department deputy director-general, also cautioned that those interested in finding a job in China should insist on signing a formal employment contract in both Chinese and English.
The employees will then be able to use the work contract as a key document to support their visa applications, said Mr Sombat.
He said when workers arrive in China, they should ask their employers to apply for a work permit for them as soon as possible to ensure they can work legally in the country.
Another source, meanwhile, said the Protection of Thai Nationals Abroad Division has said the Thai embassy in Beijing wants to warn Thai workers interested in securing jobs in spas or Thai traditional massage outlets in China that this type of occupation is reserved for Chinese nationals only.
Several Thai workers who have been lured to work in China on the wrong type of visa ended up being cheated by their employers who later refused to pay them the agreed wages, said the source.
When such problems occur, many Thai workers do not know how to seek help and justice in China due to the language barrier, said the source.
In some cases, Thai workers are required to work for at least six months before they are allowed to return to Thailand, and they must notify their employers at least one month ahead of their return, said the source.
Even when many Thai workers follow the employment terms, their employers simply refuse to arrange the return trip to Thailand for them as promised in the work contract, said the source.
Legal workers have to obtain Type Z visas that are normally issued to foreign workers with a specific condition that the person is allowed to work in China according to his or her work contract, said the source.
The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou also issued a similar warning to Thais who are interested in finding overseas employment such as cooking jobs in China to obtain a proper work visa before they travel to China.
The consulate also stressed that Thai workers should never trust employers who promise them that their tourist visas or other types of visas can later be changed into a work visa.