Thai Chamber of Commerce Urges Government to Expedite Foreign Worker Permit Extensions
Business groups are urging Thailand's government to quickly extend work permits for foreign laborers whose visas are expiring, warning that labor shortages threaten manufacturing, agriculture, and construction sectors across the country.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries have sounded an alarm over a critical labor shortage stemming from systemic issues affecting all business sectors, particularly in the Eastern region. On April 28, 2026, Porn Aramwattananond, chairman of the two organizations, disclosed that business members nationwide are reporting severe labor shortages impacting legal foreign workers from Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia—critical workforce components for manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and service industries. Eastern provinces including Chachoengsao, Rayong, Sa Kaew, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Trat face acute foreign worker shortages directly affecting production capacity and national competitiveness.
Aramwattananond noted that many MOU-registered foreign workers' permits are expiring, with some already returning home. Without immediate intervention, sectors heavily dependent on this labor force—particularly construction, agriculture including seasonal fruit harvesting, and services—could face sudden disruptions that threaten key pillars of the Thai economy.
To address the crisis, the Chamber has submitted urgent correspondence to Labor Minister Chulphan Amornvivat requesting expedited work permit extensions for all foreign nationalities. The organizations propose collaborative government-private sector coordination to prevent workforce depletion while developing comprehensive long-term foreign labor management policies balancing security, economic, and social considerations. The Chamber warned that failure to act promptly risks undermining economic growth targets and significantly weakening Thailand's long-term competitive capabilities.
