New bill eases up on illegal migrants

New bill eases up on illegal migrants

Proposes softer punitive measures, omits offspring

A bill amending an executive decree on the management of migrant workers has been drawn up to soften penalties against illegal migrant workers and those who hire them.

The Department of Employment held a seminar yesterday to explain details of the bill to representatives of foreign labour recruitment and placement agencies.

In June, an executive decree on managing foreign workers sparked fresh panic among undocumented migrant labourers and their employers as it strove to impose more severe punishments for illegal hirings.

The enactment of the decree prompted an exodus of workers back to their homelands.

Its content combines the penalties stated in the 2008 act on migrant workers and a 2016 act on the punishments for bringing them to work in Thailand.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha later invoked his sweeping powers under Section 44 of the charter to clarify parts of the bill that people found confusing.

Critics said the punishments were too heavy-handed.

Among the changes were a 180-day reprieve for those involved in the employment of undocumented workers. The grace period runs until Jan 1.

Department director-general Anurak Tossarat said the Council of State, the government's legal advisory body, has finished the bill and expects it to go before the cabinet on Tuesday.

Some penalties considered too severe under the existing decree will be reviewed, officials said.

Bounties were also on offer.

For instance, employers can now be fined 400,000 baht to 800,000 baht for each illegal migrant worker hired.

But the bill would reduce that to 10,000 baht to 100,000 baht if and when it is enacted, Mr Anurak said.

He also talked of the progress made in verifying the nationality of workers.

About 6,000 people from Myanmar are having their nationalities verified each day compared to 1,500 from Cambodia, Mr Anurak said.

The Labour Ministry has expedited efforts to fast-track the process so workers can secure work permits by March 31.

Yet the executive decree made no mention of measures to manage workers' children.

Newly-appointed Labour Minister Adul Sangsingkeo stressed the importance of teamwork in resolving such matters yesterday.

He said Thailand has been calling back foreign labourers for over 10 years.

There are an estimated 3 million of them in the country at present.

The stigma attached to migrant labourers has affected the credibility of products made in Thailand and this must also be addressed, Pol Gen Adul said.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the cabinet on Dec 4 sent the bill to the Council of State for fine-tuning.

"It can be resubmitted," he said. "But a decision is likely to be finalised this month."

Last week, Myanmar's Ministry of Labour asked Thailand to delay implementing its new labour laws given the severity of the penalties they impose on illegal workers.

The ministry asked its Thai counterpart for more time to finish issuing IDs to those illegal migrants who registered with the Thai government.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT