Senator Warns Thai Worker Loss in Malaysia May Cut 200B Baht
Senator Chaiyong Manirungkul warns that Malaysia’s crackdown on undocumented Thai workers could eliminate 200,000 jobs and cut off 200 billion baht in annual remittances. He calls on Thai authorities to negotiate special work‑permit arrangements for workers from the southern border provinces. The senator stresses that resolving the issue would alleviate unemployment and poverty in the region.
Senator Chaiyong Manirungkul, a senator from the media line, disclosed the challenges facing Thai workers in Malaysia. He said that in the past, workers from the southern border provinces entered Malaysia both with and without work permits, numbering over 200,000. Many were employed in restaurant businesses, particularly those serving tom yum goong, including owners and employees from the southern border provinces, and they were distributed across all Malaysian states.
He added that another group of workers employed in Malaysia brings back foreign currency exceeding 200 billion baht each year to support their families, most of whom are poor due to a lack of employment opportunities in the southern border provinces, a situation exacerbated by obstruction from certain groups.
"The Malaysian government has tightened controls on Thai workers, especially those without permits, which are costly to obtain. As a result, only 12,629 Thai workers currently hold valid permits, while undocumented workers must live in hiding and face periodic arrests by Malaysian authorities," he said.
Senator Chaiyong explained that Malaysia has warned undocumented workers to leave the country, announcing strict checks on businesses and front establishments and pledging strict enforcement of the law against violators.
He stressed that the crackdown on illegal workers directly affects Thai workers and urged the government, through the Labour Ministry and Foreign Ministry, to negotiate with Malaysia for special work‑permit arrangements for people from the southern border provinces, citing the Thailand‑Malaysia twin‑town relationship between the five southern border provinces and the five Malaysian states that border them.
He also pointed out that Thai workers from the southern border provinces share religion, language, and culture with Malaysians, and because Malaysia borders Thailand and has a strong demand for foreign labor, facilitating Thai employment there would be cheaper than sending workers to more distant countries.
Senator Chaiyong noted that the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre and representatives of some political parties with bases in the southern border provinces have attempted to resolve the undocumented‑worker issue to enable legal employment in Malaysia, but have not received a response from the Malaysian central government.
"It is the duty of the government, the Labour Minister, and the Foreign Minister to give importance and negotiate seriously with the Malaysian central government on the Thai labor issue, to solve unemployment and poverty in the southern border provinces," he concluded.
