Immigration officials check the work permits of teachers at a school in Nonthaburi as Thailand’s Department of Employment on Sunday tightens their inspections in the Ratchada and Bang Na area in Bangkok.
The sudden tightened enforcement comes after eight undocumented South Korean language teachers were arrested last week.
Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Department of Employment Director-General, said that the department had been actively inspecting foreign labour under the “Seach, Arrest, Fine, Deport” operation after receiving public reports about foreigners working in the Kingdom without legal documents at popular Korean language school centers along Ratchada and Bang Na area.
In a Bangkok Post report, the DoE’s foreign inspection unit together with the Immigration Bureau (IB) police visited and inspected language schools in the area and examined work permits of their teachers Sunday, February 9. No arrests were made.
Mr. Somchai further says that the inspection was done “to prevent a negative impact on job opportunities for Thai workers.”
Eight South Korean nationals were arrested last Thursday as IB police raided two branches of a language school along Ratchadapisek road.
“Foreigners seeking a work permit for teaching positions in educational institutions must enter Thailand under a non-immigrant visa and submit their applications along with relevant teacher qualifications and other required documents at one of the Bangkok Employment Office Area 1-10 or at the Provincial Employment Office where their school is located,” says the Department of Employment Director-General.
Anyone caught without a valid work permit will be fined 5,000 to 50,000 bant and face deportation. For schools or language centers found employing undocumented foreign nationals, they will be fined 10,000 to 100,000 baht per person.
Schools and language centers who repeat such offence will be facing 1 year in jail or pay a higher fine of 50,000 to 200,000 baht per illegally employed worker.