The Labour Ministry has set a target to formally send 100,000 Thai labourers abroad this year to prevent them from travelling overseas to seek employment illegally, said Labour Minister MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul.
The minister said the ministry will recruit an initial batch of 70 workers, to be sent to work in casinos and hotels in Macau, China.
According to him, the ministry is aiming to send 34,100 workers to Taiwan, 12,200 to South Korea, 7,300 to Japan, 5,000 to Israel and other countries this year.
"Working with these countries is important not only because they are popular among Thai workers due to the pay and living conditions they offer, but also because these countries have developed labour markets and training systems," said the minister.
"These will help Thai workers improve their efficiency. Their model will benefit our workers -- turning them from unskilled labourers into professional, skilled migrants."
Suchat Pornchaiwiseskul, director-general of the Department of Employment, said the ministry has been approached by Macau-based Sands China Limited, which is looking to hire 70 workers to work in its hotel and gaming businesses for about 40,000 baht a month.
"Those who are interests can inquire about application procedures from the department's recruitment office. Applications are accepted until the end of the month," he said.
Mr Suchat said interested Thai nationals can apply through the department's website to save time and money.
According to him, the department's new website will benefit both employees and employer, as they can access a wide range of information about working abroad, from entry and re-entry requirements for employees working abroad to permit application information for employees.
"The website has been designed to make it easy for people to follow our labour laws in the most convenient way. It responds to many needs and people can receive services no matter where or when, which is important for migrant workers staying far away from a brick-and-mortar office," he said.