More eye scanners prepared for migrant labour verification

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) – The Labour Minister ordered the rental of 10 iris scanners to complete the identity verification of about 70,000 migrant workers in fishing businesses. Permanent Secretary for Labour Jarin Chakkaphark said that Labour Minister, Adul Sangsingkeo ordered the rental of additional 10 iris scanning machines for reserve after it borrowed 30 machines from the Marine Department and now, 26 machines are functioning. The ministry targets to complete the nationality verification process for the registration of migrant labourers by March 31. The Employment Department has already verified more than 100,000 migrant workers and fewer than 100,000 persons are left to finish the process. Most of the rest or about 60,000 persons are in Samut Sakhon, so the ministry today mobilised additional ten eye scanners from other provinces, which have already finished the process to Samut Sakhon. Now, with 12 machnes in Samut Sakhon, the authorities can complete eye scanning for about 6,000 people daily. The Labour Minister is scheduled to inspect the operation in Samut Sakhon this weekend. Eye scanning is part of the nationality verification process to register all migrant workers in Thailand to tackle forced labour and labour exploitation. (TNA)