2 days ago
Wider net for migrant staff
The Ministry of Labour aims to expand the pool of foreign workers to eight nationalities to address labour shortages caused by unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit said on Wednesday the ministry had convened the Committee on Foreign Worker Management Policy to allow additional workers from countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
Previously, the foreign workforce consisted of four nationalities: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. "The expansion to eight nationalities will allow us to bring in workers during emergencies, avoiding delays from the MoU process, which can take 2–3 months," he explained.
He added that discussions on adding more nationalities aimed to ensure businesses can continue their operations smoothly, even during unexpected labour disruptions. More than 100,000 Cambodian workers had returned home via immigration channels recently, while roughly 30,000 hold legal work permits.
As a result, many businesses have reported labour shortages. The ministry is collecting labour requests from bosses nationwide and aims to allow around 42,000 new foreign workers, distributing them fairly across all sectors.
He hoped the Cambodian labour shortage could be solved within two months through workforce management. The ministry would ensure fairness for all employers and workers, while maintaining strict adherence to labour regulations, he said.
