BKK POST: January 18, 1998: LABOUR

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

January 18, 1998
LABOUR

              Chuan to consider
              plan to ease
              problems for
              jobless

              Repatriation scheme will give Thais
              work

              Chiang Rai

              The Labour and Social Welfare Ministry will forward to the
              prime minister tomorrow an action plan aimed at easing
              unemployment problems, Labour Minister Trairong
              Suwannakhiri said yesterday.

              The plan seeks to repatriate about 300,000 illegal alien workers
              in a six-month time frame. If successful, by the end of 1999
              about one million alien labourers will be forced to leave the
              country, he said.

              Mr Trairong yesterday chaired the opening of the labour market
              here which drew more than 2,000 job seekers.

              Employers will be given 45 days to prepare for repatriation of
              their workers and those who fail to comply with authorities will
              face legal action, said the minister.

              To alleviate the unemployment problem, the Labour Ministry will
              not extend work permits for alien workers and will repatriate
              them, Mr Trairong said.

              "If everything goes as planned, about one million Thais will get
              jobs. There are a lot of tough jobs ahead but they have to face it
              in this economic situation," he said.

              Theerasak Laohavi, president of the provincial chamber of
              commerce here, yesterday welcomed the action plan which
              seeks to fill posts left vacant by alien workers with locals.

              He said most business operators did not want to hire alien
              workers but they had no choice.

              According to unofficial estimates, there are at least 20,000 illegal
              alien workers in the province. Most of them are in Mae Sai, Mae
              Chan and Muang districts.

              Meanwhile, a labour official in Kanchanaburi yesterday
              questioned the feasibility of putting the plan into action.

              Wasant Sathorn said the Labour Ministry's plan to repatriate
              alien workers is good but might be difficult to implement due to
              lack of cooperation between authorities and operators.

              He suggested that the ministry launch a campaign promoting local
              employment and its benefits.

              "I don't question its merit but unless business operators fully
              cooperate, this plan is not going to work," he said.

              He said there are about 40,000 illegal alien workers in the
              province and less than 15,000 have registered with the
              authorities.

              However, he said a large number of alien workers, most of them
              Burmese, has recently left the country following the mass
              shutdown of businesses there.