Police to crack down on foreign labor

PHUKET: Police have been ordered to crack down on alien laborers using mobile phones or found on the streets after 8 pm, Phuket Vice-Governor Vorapot Rattasima said this morning.

At a meeting at Provincial Hall, V/Gov Worapot said that he had received reports that alien laborers were leaving their registered place of abode after 8 pm and freely using mobile phones, both of which were prohibited by provincial order in December.

“I have met with traffic police and told them to arrest any alien laborers they find on the streets after 8 pm. I would also like the media to look out for and report any violators,” he said.

The meeting today was held to discuss implementing Cabinet’s December 19 resolution to extend work permits for laborers from Burma, Laos and Cambodia for another year.

There are currently about 11,000 alien workers in Phuket whose work permits and right to remain in the Kingdom are set to expire February 28, and 21,000 whose permits are set to expire June 30.

Both these groups, the vast majority of whom are Burmese, can now have their permits extended for another year, V/Gov Worapot explained.

Employers must apply to extend their workers’ permits at the Phuket Provincial Labor Office before the permits expire.

Employers must bring their workers’ current work permits, “quota” documents showing how many alien laborers the employers are allowed to employ, and a medical certificate for each worker.

A three-month extension costs 450 baht, a six-month extension 900 baht, and a one-year extension 1,800 baht.