Migrant workers' nationality verification in Thailand extended to mid-2012

BANGKOK, February 9 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Labour has announced a four-month extension of its deadline for verifying nationalities of migrant workers from neighbouring Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia until June 14, 2012. Prawit Keangphon, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Employment, told journalists Thursday that the planned extension of the nationality verification or NV process for the migrant workers will be raised before the Cabinet for further consideration next week, as the existing NV process expires on February 28. Prawit said that he has told every provincial employment office to urge employers in their respective areas to take their workers for the NV process within the official deadline, acknowledging that in the future, only migrant workers under government-to-government or G-to-G contracts will be allowed to work in Thailand. The senior Thai Labour Ministry official insisted that his department will actively continue cracking down on illegal immigrants for deportation, including those who fail to show up for the legally-required NV process. According to official statistics, there are about 100,000 migrant workers whose legal work permits expire by February 28. (TNA)