Thailand has reached an agreement with Cambodia and Myanmar to allow more than 100,000 migrants with expired employment permits to continue working in the kingdom until the end of next month, the Department of Employment said yesterday.
The migrant workers had four-year work permits and visas, but they expired during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Suchat Phonchaiwisetkun, director-general of the department, said the agreement to let the migrants stay was reached during previous talks between his department and the Cambodian and Myanmar embassies in Thailand.
Under normal circumstances, the migrant workers would return to their home countries between May and December before waiting a full month before they can return to work in Thailand with renewed permits and visas, according to Mr Suchat.
However, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it would be safer for the workers to remain in the kingdom for the moment, he added.
A memorandum of understanding on labour cooperation between the three countries allowed the workers to carry on working in Thailand.