Over 190,000 Myanmar workers arrested in Thailand's crackdown on illegal labour

On the 106th day of Thailand's 120-day plan to arrest illegal workers, it was reported that 193,430 Myanmar workers were arrested.

According to the Ministry of Labour in Thailand, a total of 256,213 illegal migrant workers from countries like Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia were arrested within the 106 days from June 5 to September 19, which marked the start of the 120-day plan.

By nationality, 193,430 Myanmar workers, 39,736 Cambodian workers, 15,281 Laotian workers, 162 Vietnamese workers, and 7,604 other foreign workers were arrested.

Among those arrested, 1,149 Myanmar workers, 257 Laotian workers, 259 Cambodian workers, 31 Vietnamese workers, and 134 workers from other countries have already been prosecuted.

Workers without a valid work permit or those working in unauthorized job categories are subject to fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht. They may also face deportation and a two-year work ban. Employers who hire such workers are subject to fines of 10,000 to 100,000 baht per worker, and repeat offenders may face up to one year of imprisonment and fines of 50,000 to 200,000 baht, along with a three-year ban on hiring migrant workers, according to reports from Thailand.