January 14, 1998 Bangkok Post:FOREI

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

January 14, 1998
                            
FOREIGN LABOUR


              Plan to let aliens 
              work in only 13 
              provinces

                Repatriation centre could be 
              established 

                   Penchan Charoensutthiphan


              Alien workers will be allowed in only 13 border provinces 
              before their repatriation under the Labour and Social Welfare 
              Ministry's operational plan to crack down on illegal foreign 
              labour.

              Permanent Secretary Phan Chantraparn said the ministry's plan 
              to repatriate foreign workers would go to a subcommittee 
              tackling the problem of foreign labour chaired by Deputy Prime 
              Minister Bhichai Rattakul for consideration on Thursday, and to 
              a panel to ease unemployment chaired by Prime Minister Chuan 
              Leekpai on Monday.

              Under the plan, the ministry will allow aliens to work only in 
              Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ranong, 
              Chanthaburi, Trat, Sa Kaew, Mukdaharn, Nakhon Phanom, 
              Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani and Surin.

              It will seriously crack down on illegal employment of alien 
              workers, and set up a centre to repatriate aliens without valid 
              work permits.

              Aliens will not have their work permits renewed, and all renewals 
              made before the implementation of the ministry's plan will be 
              scrapped.

              The ministry will oversee aliens at their workplaces and seek to 
              replace them with Thais, while immigration police will crack 
              down on illegal immigrants outside workplaces.

              The ministry will also propose a special committee to formulate 
              policies to control employment of foreigners and illegal 
              immigrants and set up a system to keep coordination among 
              relevant agencies.

              Out of 986,889 illegal immigrants in Thailand, 809,307 are 
              working without permits.