IN THE FACE of opposition, the government has made some concessions in an attempt to ease the impact of the controversial foreign labour law. Labour Minister Sirichai Distakul said the delay will suspend enforcement of Sections 101, 102 and 122 of the new foreign labour law which calls for heavy fines and imprisonment, including a fine of Bt400,000 to Bt800,000 per worker if employers are found to have violated the law. In Kanchanaburi province, a total of 2,894 migrant workers have left Thailand since June 23, due to the heavy penalties prescribed by the new foreign labour law, which include a fine of up to Bt800,000 per worker if employers are found to have violated the law. In Surin province, about 300 Cambodian workers also left Thailand due to fears of being arrested under the new law, while their former employers were also worried they would face heavy fines if they violated the law. “It would be a temporary issue as the government reorganises foreign labour,” he said on the sidelines of the NESDB annual conference.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 03, 2017 16:41 UTC