Illegal Thai workers expected to leave S Korea

SEOUL, Oct 4 (TNA) - Illegal Thai workers in South Korea check information with the Thai embassy to return home after Seoul allows illegal workers to leave the country without being blacklisted. Labour Attache, Pinyuda Chamchansri, said South Korea’s immigration authorities announced the voluntary departure programme for illegal workers to return home from Oct 1 to March 31 next year. They will not be blacklisted and can come back to work legally in the future. She said the six-month period is longer than the programme last year, which lasted only three months. However, if they remain in the country, they will be arrested, deported and banned from entering South Korea for 10 years. About 25,000 Thais work in South Korea legally and can send home about 40,000- 50,000 baht a month. High wages attract Thai workers to work there as they earn 225 baht an hour or about 1,800 baht per day for eight working hours. The pay rate will be raised to 250 baht an hour next year, much higher than a minimum wage of 310 baht per day in Thailand. Currently, there are about 335,455 Thai workers, entering South Korea illegally. The number increased about 87,000 people per year. (TNA)