September 18|Thailand
New foreign Labor Laws
On 23rd June 2017, a new emergency decree on Managing the Work of Aliens was introduced that increased penalties for various offences for the foreign employees working in Thailand. The fine on work permit which was earlier 400,000 Baht has been increased to 800,000 baht.
Reception of the Law
According to the migrant workers, the law has adversely affected their day-to-day lives. The law has exerted pressure upon the employer to be careful while hiring the migrant workers as they may be charged with harsher penalties. Many migrant workers have preferred to move out of Thailand to avoid harsher penalties. As a consequence, a state of panic and crisis has aroused in Thailand causing potential labor shortages in businesses that relied on migrant workers.
Dealing with the crisis
In a bid to reduce the adverse effects of the decree to economy and society and to deal with the crisis and state of panic that has aroused, NCPO has deployed following temporary measures:
- The ministry of labor must specify the conditions and procedures, to which the employers and foreign employees must comply before 1st January 2018.
- The state officials involved in the implementation of NCPO are prohibited from misuing their powers or take benefit of the situation.
- The ministry of Labor must amend the existing work of aliens’ laws.
- The ministry shall also conduct the hearing from the relevant parties.
