Labour Ministry orders nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign workers
Thailand's Labour Ministry has launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign workers following arrests at a Koh Phangan daycare center, ordering intensified inspections and stricter enforcement across all provinces.
BANGKOK — The Labour Ministry has ordered a nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign workers, stepping up inspections and enforcement across Thailand following reports of violations uncovered in Koh Phangan, Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat said.
The directive came after a 1 May raid on a daycare centre in Koh Phangan, Surat Thani, where military officers, local administrators, police and immigration officials arrested nine Thai and foreign nationals over alleged breaches of labour laws. Julapun said he had instructed the Department of Employment to urgently verify the case, warning that any foreign workers found working without permits or outside authorised roles would face strict legal action.
He said the Department of Employment had been ordered to mobilise both central and provincial units to conduct proactive, nationwide inspections in coordination with relevant agencies, in a bid to tighten oversight of foreign workers and employers. The campaign will focus on detecting illegal employment, enforcing compliance and taking legal action against offenders, alongside efforts to raise awareness among employers and migrant workers about labour regulations.
Director-General of the Department of Employment Somchai Morakotsriwan said provincial employment offices and Bangkok units had been deployed to intensify inspections, particularly targeting foreign workers operating without permits or beyond authorised roles. Authorities will also tighten scrutiny in issuing work permits for certain nationalities considered sensitive to national security, while strengthening coordination with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute violations.
Under Thai law, foreign workers found working without a permit or outside permitted roles face fines of 5,000–50,000 baht, deportation and a two-year ban on reapplying for a work permit. Employers who hire undocumented workers or allow unauthorised work face fines of 10,000–100,000 baht per worker. Repeat offenders may face up to one year in prison or fines of 50,000–200,000 baht per worker, along with a three-year ban on hiring foreign workers.
