Labor Office calls for work permit renewals

PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) today called for employers of Burmese, Lao and Cambodian workers to renew their employees’ work permits before the June 30 deadline.

At the monthly meeting of provincial government department chiefs at Phuket Provincial Hall, Kitti Nuisri of the Phuket Labor Office this morning said that work permits for 6,685 immigrant workers whose permits will expire on June 30 had already been renewed.

However, he added that 13,841 more work permits were due to be renewed before month’s end.

K. Kitti pointed out that employers of migrant workers from the three border nations were usually diligent in renewing work permits: 11,539 of the 11,544 work permits that were due to expire on February 28 were renewed on time.

However, he added that those who did not comply would face heavy penalties.

“An employer caught with immigrants working without a valid work permit or doing work not listed in the work permit face up to three years’ imprisonment or a 60,000-baht fine, or both. Workers caught doing likewise face up to three years’ imprisonment or 5,000-baht fine or both,” he said.