BANGKOK, 22 April 2013 The Labor Ministry is set to speed up the registration of employment agencies specialized in migrant workers as less than 20% of known agencies have completed the process.
Director-General of the Employment Department Pravit Khiengpol revealed that the department has recently informed all recruitment agencies, which are keen in foreign laborers, to quickly register themselves as companies under the 1985 Employment and Labor Protection Act.
Mr. Pravit stated that there currently are 125 agencies, which are working with their partners in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, active in the country.
Out of this, 90 are specialized in Myanmar labor, while 23 and 12 others focus on Cambodian and Laotian workers, respectively.
According to the Employment Department, only 18 of 125 agencies already completed the registration with the department.
Mr. Pravit said that agencies, which fail to comply by the law, will be barred from doing business while facing a maximum jail term of 3-10 years and a maximum fine of 60,000-200,000 baht, or both.
He added that each foreign worker is to pay at least 10,000 baht to the agency and such a fee can be more justified or adjusted down after the registration is successfully implemented, while both agencies and workers will get full legal protection under Thai laws and by the Employment Department.
