Thai government to cut registration fee for immigrant workers

BANGKOK, December 23 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Interior, plans to cut the registration fee for immigrant workers to 500 baht each, from 2,000 baht each currently, to encourage local employers to legalise their illegal foreign workers. Based on the Interior Ministry's proposed plan, Deputy Government Spokesman Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd told journalists on Tuesday that the Cabinet initially approved in principle at its weekly meeting earlier in the day, the reduced registration fee for immigrant workers. A survey conducted by Thailand-based Mahidol University found that there have been nearly two million immigrant workers in Thailand, including those from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, with over 1.2 million of them entering the Thai Kingdom illegally. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan chaired this week's Cabinet meeting, as Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha is paying an official visit to China from December 22-23. The prime minister is scheduled to return home later Tuesday. (TNA)