Post by BKK on Aug 11, 2005 21:30:40 GMT -5
Laos urges cheaper permits, help boosting worker skills
PREEYANAT PHANAYANGGOOR & PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPHAN
Laos has requested that the work permit fee for Lao labourers working in Thailand be reduced from 2,000 baht to 500 baht.
Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop yesterday met Le Kakanhya, Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of Laos. He said Laos wanted the fee cut for workers who will be recruited to fill labour shortages in Thailand.
Mr Suwat said the Foreign Ministry agreed that a 500 baht fee would be appropriate but an Interior Ministry regulation had set it at 2,000 baht.
He said the request would be discussed at next week's meeting of the national committee on alien labour management, which he chairs.
He said authorities in both countries are working to speed up the process of issuing working visas for migrant Lao workers already in Thailand, to legalise their status. So far around 10,000 Lao workers have been given the visa.
Thailand and Laos also plan to cooperate in upgrading the labour skills of Lao labourers.
Mr Suwat said Thailand would support Laos' effort to improve labour skills. This would benefit Thailand by improving labour standards while Laos would benefit from workers' higher wages.
The Labour Ministry estimated that around 100,000 foreign workers were needed to ease severe labour shortages in the frozen seafood and textile industries.
Around 1.2 million foreign workers registered with authorities last year, mainly Burmese.
Foreign workers from Laos ranked second highest, with more than 180,000 in the country.
The Labour Ministry will import 50 to 100 Lao workers next month in an initial bid to solve the labour shortage in Thailand.
Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said authorities are looking for ways to meet Thai operators' demand for 1.7 million alien workers nationwide.
A solution is to invite alien immigrants who are already in Thailand to register and apply for the jobs.
If the existing immigrants cannot fill demand, labourers would be imported from neighbouring countries. Under the process, Thai and Lao labour authorities arrange for an initial import of 50 to 100 Lao workers to Songkhla province next month. If the trial is successful, the imports will expand to other provinces such as Samut Sakhon and Chon Buri.
Source: www.bangkokpost.com/