Bangkok – Government agencies are now coordinating assistance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 17 Thai workers who have been cast adrift at sea off Somalia since March, and are still unauthorized to reach the land. The workers are suspected of having traveled there for work without any supervision by the Department of Employment.
Officials have made video calls to the stranded workers, who claimed they have been scammed by an employer referred to as Chang to work onboard a ship bound for Iran, which departed in March. The employer made a single 10,000 baht payment to each worker, but has since been out of contact. The workers are unable to dock at piers due to their lack of permits, which should have been facilitated by the employer.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Consular Affairs is focusing on bringing the workers back to Thailand and trying to contact the said employer to collect the wages promised. However, these workers will not be eligible for compensation from the fund for persons working abroad as their employment is not considered legal.
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