Popular resort towns in Thailand are facing an influx of foreigners working illegally in the country. Authorities have launched a tough fight against the problem
Popular Thai holiday resorts are overflowing with thousands of illegal foreign workers taking jobs ranging from taxi drivers to real estate agents. Ministries are joining forces to combat the problem, regularly deporting offenders, handing out lifetime bans from entering the country and calling for a review of laws.
After discovering that thousands of foreigners are engaged in illegal labour in Thai resorts such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya, the business and employment ministries appear to have been shocked. Many foreigners come undocumented from neighbouring countries, particularly troubled Myanmar, and do manual or low-level work.
However, foreigners from far-flung countries, including the UK, mainland Europe, Russia and China, have been found working illegally in a variety of jobs, including taxi drivers, tour operators and property agents.
‘Many locals complain that foreigners are taking jobs meant for Thais and buying land at inflated prices, which in turn raises the cost of living for everyone,’ Sittipol Vibunthanakul, a member of the Forward Movement Party, told the newspaper.
Sittipol explained that the most severe abuses involve foreigners using formal Thai nominees in international trading companies.
Nominees are Thais who have no real stake or interest in the business but are paid to keep quiet. These people usually have to sign undated resignation letters in case they suddenly get greedy or are no longer needed.
A crackdown has already begun in Phuket, with several dozen foreigners arrested by immigration police, facing weekly deportations and bans from entering the country up to life.
However, corruption is rampant in the employment sector, and there are even cases of Thai identity cards being mistakenly issued to illegal immigrants. Consequently, the Ministry of Commerce, the Tourism Association and the Ministry of Interior have joined forces in an attempt to ‘keep an eye’ on foreign businesses in popular resort areas.
Some parliamentarians are calling for legislative changes to back up the latest crackdown. For example, the 1999 Foreign Business Act outlaws Thai nominees but does not provide comprehensive information about them.
The Land Code also needs revision to insist that land purchases are subject to greater scrutiny if proxies are present in the company. A more controversial proposal is to add the words ‘work prohibited’ to airport or border stamps for tourists and others without work permits.
Confusion has also arisen from the 2018 changes to the previously strict legislation on the employment of foreigners. The definition of ‘work’ has now been changed to exclude foreigners organising trade shows, attending conferences, participating in sporting or cultural events, or serving on condominium committees.
To be prosecuted under the law, the labour activity must last for more than two weeks, whether or not there is a formal remuneration for the work. With Thailand now welcoming millions of new visitors without prior authorisation, the need for a new comprehensive employment law becomes a priority.
More Articles Here
More Articles Here
