Thread: Serious question and replies welcomed

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Illegal worker ‘sweep’ to target Phuket

Dr Phrommin Sritabutr is not happy with the lack of progress in reigning in illegal foreign workers. Photo: Janpen Upatising

PHUKET: A special task force of government officers will sweep through Phuket and arrest and likely deport any foreigners found working illegally, the Gazette has learned.

The move follows the creation of a Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) task force set up to identify and arrest any foreigners found working without appropriate permits.

Headed by PPEO chief Noppadol Ployudee, the team includes members of Phuket Immigration Police, Phuket Police and Phuket Marine Police.

“The team is working to monitor, arrest, prosecute and deport all illegal foreign workers,” said Mr Noppadol.

“The arrests will not be limited to Burmese, Lao and Cambodian workers. We will arrest any foreigner found working secretly without a permit,” he added.

The move follows confirmation that Burmese workers are starting their own businesses on Phuket as a result of the national verification system, which gives them identification documents similar to a passport.

The roundup of unregistered migrant workers will intensify in Phuket, officials say.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart have ordered an independent team to investigate illegal workers throughout southern Thailand.

The regional task force, part of Bangkok’s nationwide crackdown on illegal Burmese workers, will be responsible for the 14 southern provinces. It will also be led by Mr Noppadol.

A meeting on Friday in Bangkok will determine policy and operational plans for each regional team. The meeting will be chaired by Employment Department Deputy Director Sumeth Mahosot.

“I still don’t know exactly when the operation in Phuket will start. After we hear the policy and receive orders at the meeting on Friday, we will do the planning and then proceed with the operation,” said Mr Noppadol.

The deportation of thousands of migrant Burmese workers from Phuket would likely have a major impact on the local economy, which relies heavily on their labor.

Phuket business owners continue to voice concerns about losing Burmese employees to businesses and professions not specified in their work permits.

At a recent meeting at Provincial Hall, Dr Phrommin Sritabutr expressed frustration at the current “passport” and work permit system, saying efforts to bring illegal workers in line had proved fruitless.

“I’m not satisfied with the result of today’s meeting,” said the deputy chairman of a Labor Ministry subcommittee on foreign labor.

“It’s the third meeting here, but we haven’t addressed the key issue. Now foreign workers with these ‘passports’ can work and go anywhere.

“They will spread around the country. It’s just not possible to keep these workers under control,” he said.


Question is this

I am retired and have a retirement visa.

I occasionally get requests from my previous employers regarding various weird insurance claims they are faced with and they want my opinion on how to handle them .
They send me the details via email and I give my opinion- also via email
An approprate fee is deposited in my offshore bank account

As the actual work I do is carried out in Thailand and the cash then transferred into my Thai bank account will this tightening up on work by foreigners in Thailand apply to me ??

^
In theory any work carried out, even for free, requires a work permit. So strictly you need one.

We do have a situation with my work where a teacher is creeping about behind the scenes submitting tax claims and it is only a matter of time before he winds up on a plane back "home" courtesy of immigration, with PNG stamped in his passport. A high price to pay for some pocket money.