Thailand's Department of Employment (DoE) on Sunday launched inspections of language schools in the Ratchada and Bang Na areas of Bangkok following the arrest of eight undocumented South Korean language teachers.
DoE director-general Somchai Morakotsriwan said the department had been actively inspecting foreign labour under the "Search, Arrest, Fine, Deport" operation after receiving reports from members of the public that foreigners had been working without work permits at well-known Korean language schools in the Ratchada and Bang Na areas.
The DoE’s foreign labour inspection unit together with Immigration Bureau (IB) police visited language schools in the reported areas and examined work permits of their teachers on Sunday. The team did not find illegally employed foreign teachers.
The operation was to prevent a negative impact on job opportunities for Thai workers, Mr Somchai said.
On Thursday, IB police raided two branches of a language school on Ratchadaphisek Road and arrested eight South Korean nationals for working as language teachers without permits.
“Foreigners seeking a work permit for teaching positions in educational institutions must enter Thailand under a non-immigrant visa and submit their applications along with relevant teaching qualifications and other required documents at one of the Bangkok Employment Office Area 1-10 or at the Provincial Employment Office where their school is located,” Mr Somchai said.
Foreign teachers found working without a valid work permit will face a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht and deportation. Any school found to have employed undocumented foreign teachers will be fined 10,000 to 100,000 baht per person.
For repeat offences, the school’s owner is punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a bigger fine of 50,000 to 200,000 baht per illegally employed worker.
“Foreigners wanting to get work permits can call the Labour Ministry's 1506 hotline and press 2 or the DoE's 1694 hotline. We have English interpreters to provide information and advice on how to work in Thailand legally,” the DoE director-general said.