Registration of foreign workers to be delayed

The registration of thousands of foreign workers is being delayed in a bid to keep jobs open for Thais as an economic slump looms, Labour Minister Paitoon Kaewthong says.

The Labour Ministry late last year planned to register about 800,000 foreign workers to ease the shortage of unskilled labour in 10 sectors, including fisheries, farming and construction, often shunned by Thais.

Mr Paitoon initially backed the registration plan which was initiated under the previous government. However, he said the abrupt change in the nation's employment situation had prompted his ministry to reverse its position.

Speaking at a seminar on foreign worker problems, Mr Paitoon said his ministry had decided to delay the plan, preferring first to make jobs available to unemployed Thais.

He said rising unemployment had become one of the country's biggest problems.

Mr Paitoon said the Labour Ministry estimated there were about 2 million foreign workers in Thailand; 500,000 have already registered with the Labour Ministry.

Meanwhile, a labour activist wanted the government to move ahead with the registration plan, seeing it as a tool to prevent human traffickers from taking advantage of the situation.

Supattra Nakhapew, director of the Aids-related Rights Protection Centre Foundation, said the registration of each foreign worker would generate 3,800 baht revenue to the government. Revenue from their registration could be spent on health care for foreign workers.

According to the Labour Ministry, 50 business enterprises have shut down and more than 2,800 employees have been laid off since the start of this year.

A further 102 enterprises are expected to reduce their staff soon, affecting more than 68,100 workers. It is estimated 23,300 will be laid off and 44,800 will have their wages cut because of a reduction in working hours.

Charnwit Tharathep, director of the Office of Health Service System Development, urged the Labour Ministry to allow foreigners to work as public health officers.

Mr Charnvit said foreign public health officers were expected to be skilled workers who could contribute to alleviating health care problems among foreign workers.

Meanwhile, Thanawan Thongsukchot, labour counsellor to the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur, said Malaysia had also begun implementing measures to limit the number of foreign workers it would allow into the country.

However, the measures would not have a major impact on Thai workers in Malaysia as most work in hospitality, particularly Thai restaurants and Thai massage parlours which require special skills.

Mr Thanawan said almost 100,000 Thais, mostly from the five lower southern provinces, were working in Malaysia in Thai restaurants, as house maids, as fishermen, on rubber plantations and other kinds of farms, and in shops along the border.