Solutions in place to solve fishing labor shortage

BANGKOK, Aug 31 (TNA) - The government plans several solutions to solve the shortage of labor in the fishing industry and additional import from Myanmar is among them. Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon discussed the solutions in the meeting of the government’s migrant labor committee. He said that the government would extend the work permits of fishing workers for two more years from Sept 30. About 11,000 workers are in this category. Besides, the government will allow licensed migrant workers to move from other sectors to the fishing industry voluntarily. Their migration will start on Nov 15 and they will be allowed to be in the fishing business for one year. Gen Prawit also said that Myanmar would officially export 42,000 workers to Thailand through Ranong province in November to help solve the shortage. Labour Minister Adul Sangsingkeo said the committee also accepted Vietnam’s proposal for Thailand to legally import Vietnamese workers to work as maids, construction workers and fishing crewmen. Vietnamese authorities reported that about 50,000 Vietnamese people entered Thailand in disguise of tourists to work in the mentioned sectors. However, the import would be based on the demand of Thai employers and a survey found that Thailand needed about 3,200 Vietnamese workers, Pol Gen Adul said. (TNA)