Migrant workers in Thailand (Photo: The Bangkok Post)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand will soonapply a new law targeting immigrant workers and employers hiring foreignworkers, local media reported on June 9.
The new law will impose tougher punishments onthose who illegally hire immigrant workers or who violate the basic rights of immigrantworkers.
Accordingly, employers will face a fine from400,000 THB – 800,000 THB (about 11,745 USD – 23,490 USD) for each illegalmigrant worker they hire.
Any migrant workers found guilty of workingwithout work permit or engaging in prohibited works will be fined from 2,000THB – 100,000 THB (58.73 USD – 2,940 USD) or imprisoned for up to five years.
The new law will also impose a maximum jailsentence of six months and a maximum fine of 100,000 THB on the offence ofillegally withholding important migrant workers' documents.
Workers will be compensated if they are found tobe victims by forced labour, or made to perform tasks other than thoseinitially agreed with employers, or paid lower than promised.
Thailand now has 1.3 million illegal migrantworkers who are allowed to work temporarily without work permit till March 31,2018.
If employers want to hire and workers want tocontinue their work, they have to undergo a verification process before beinggranted legal work permits.-VNA
