Julphand to Discuss with South Korean Embassy Over Thai Workers Fleeing E-8 Visa Program, Preparing to Negotiate for Flexibility
Thailand plans to negotiate with South Korea's embassy for flexibility in the E-8 visa program after Thai workers absconding from the scheme caused entire provinces to be blacklisted, with over 80% of workers trying to comply legally.
On May 13, 2025, Julphand Amrivivat discussed the challenges facing Thai migrant workers abroad, particularly those in South Korea under the E-8 visa program. The issue centers on workers fleeing the system—known as "ghost workers"—causing some provinces to exceed the rates specified in the Thailand-South Korea Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This has resulted in entire provinces being blacklisted. The MOU clearly stipulates that if worker absconding from any province exceeds 20%, recruitment from that province will be suspended. Amrivivat acknowledged that the initial batch of workers sent exceeded expected ratios, causing subsequent problems. He emphasized that this matter requires discussion with South Korea, as the wrongdoing of a minority should not penalize the over 80% of workers who intended to work legally.
"We don't want to implement measures that become a burden on Thai workers, because ultimately every measure becomes a cost or additional expense for workers themselves," Amrivivat stated.
Amrivivat noted that Thailand must accept the fact that the MOU is a mutual agreement signed and accepted by both parties, not a unilateral South Korean proposal, resulting from bilateral negotiations between the two countries.
Amrivivat indicated that direct discussions with the South Korean embassy have not yet occurred, but Thailand is preparing to negotiate for flexibility rather than seeking a complete MOU revision, as Thailand has limited bargaining power and must acknowledge that part of the problem stems from Thai workers themselves absconding.
When asked about imposing stricter penalties on absconding Thai workers, Amrivivat said it's possible but every measure would ultimately burden workers. For example, requiring security deposits before departure could reduce absconding but would force many workers to take additional loans. The government therefore prefers not to pursue such approaches.
"Fines are pointless because once they flee, who do we fine? Thailand has already suffered losses, and it's not easy to export workers in replacement numbers," Amrivivat said.
Regarding the approximately 100,000-130,000 undocumented Thai workers in South Korea, Amrivivat emphasized that the government doesn't want all workers to return home but rather wants to bring them into the legal system.
The core problem is South Korea's complex labor system: workers whose contracts expire must return home first before reapplying, with no guarantee of returning to the same employer. This causes many workers to remain illegally because they are satisfied with their current jobs and employers.
"Workers fear that if they return, they won't get back to their original positions. This is an issue we've grappled with for years," Amrivivat said.
When asked about compelling workers to return as leverage against South Korea, Amrivivat said it's difficult because the Thai government cannot force Thai workers to return home. The labor market is competitive; if Thailand doesn't send workers, other countries are ready to fill the gap.
"In the labor market, if we don't send workers, others will step in. Like in the Middle East, if we don't go, other countries immediately take our place," Amrivivat concluded.
