BANGKOK, Jan 8 (TNA) – The government extends the deadline of applications for migrant fishing crewmembers’ seabooks from the end of January to March 31.
The decision came from the government’s committee on solutions to problems about migrant workers and trafficking in labourers at the Labour Ministry.
Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon chaired the meeting of the committee.
Labour Minister Adul Sangsingkeo said that apart from the deadline extension, the committee also allowed Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar workers who entered the country after Nov 6, 2018, to apply for seabooks.
Earlier the permission was for migrants who arrived in the country before Nov 6, 2018. This is to solve labour shortages in the fishing industry. Besides, the Foreign Ministry authorised the immigration bureau to issue Non Immigrant L-A visas for the migrant workers.
According to the labour minister, employers have sought to hire 25,000 migrant workers and 1,900 workers have been imported. On Jan 3-4, 1,813 migrant workers were registered for seabooks. They comprised 1,080 Myanmar workers, 49 Lao workers and 684 Cambodians. (TNA)