SAMUT SAKHON - A new centre to end the abuse of illegal workers by properly regulating migrant labour opened on Monday in Samut Sakhon as the first step to end human trafficking in the country.
Illegal foreign workers line up at the first full-time one-stop-centre in Samut Sakhon's Muang district on Monday to register legally with the authorities. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
Businesses in Samut Sakhon rely on a huge migant workforce, much of it illegal.
The new, full-time centre in Muang district provides a one-stop service for migrant workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia staying illegally in the province to come out in the open and register legally with the authorities.
It is located at the provincial social security office in Muang district, and open from 8.30am to 4.30pm everyday.
It can handle 2,000 migrants a day, officials said, and 1,000 illegal workers already lined up for registration when the doors opened this morning.
Officials register illegal foreign workers at the new labout centre in Muang district of Samut Sakhon province on Monday. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
The launch was witnessed by Gen Sirichai Disthakul, the army chief-of-staff in charge of labour issues and human trafficking, permanent secretary for labour Jirasak Sukhonthachat and Myanmar ambassador Tin Win.
Samut Sakhon has an estimated 80,000 illegal labourers from the three countries, according to Labour Ministry figures last year. The province relies on foreign workforce to drive its lucrative fishery industry.
Under the plan outlined out by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), illegal workers will be given temporary permits to work in Thailand. Their names will be sent for verification in 60 days, and workers passing the procedure can apply for permanent work permits by using their passport, Mr Jirasak said.
NCPO chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Friday that one-stop centres will be opened in another 22 coastal provinces in need of migrant workers on July 7, and in the rest in the country by July 15.
The move is part of the military regime's plans to end the activities of human traffickers, including corrupt government officials, who extort money from people in the three neighbouring countries in exchange for smuggling them into Thailand and delivering them to places where they have been promised jobs.
The Myanmar envoy supported the plan and said the new centre will make it easier for people in Myanmar to land needed work in Thailand.
However, some business operators remained sceptical, saying migrant abuse would not end until Thailand fully liberalises the labour market.
Thailand and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will open up the labour sector after the launch of the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015, but the free flow of workers will be limited to skilled and professional labourers.
The junta opened temporary coordination centres on the border in Sa Kaeo, Trat and Chanthaburi provinces on Thursday to facilitate the return of about 200,000 Cambodians who fled in fear of rumours of a crack down by the junta.
Another tempoarary centre at the Chong Jom border crossing with Cambodia in Kap Choeng district of Surin province was officially opened on Monday. These coordination centres will close after the provinces set up one-stop service centres.
According to the ministry, Thailand has about 2.2 million legal migrant workers. The Thailand Development Research Institute said there another 900,00 illegal workers in the country before the exodus.