South Korea blacklists Thai workers from four northeastern provinces

The South Korean government has blacklisted Thai farm workers from the four northeastern provinces of Udon Thani, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen and Maha Sarakham after it was discovered that a number of them had left their employers in violation of their employment contracts.

Somchai Morakotsriwan, director general of Employment Department, said that the culprits were part of the first group of 80 Thai farmhands that went to South Korea to work in seven districts for five months, under a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in 2023.

The Thais were issued with E-8 visas, which means that they must return to Thailand after the completion of the 5-month employment period and that they may be able to return to South Korea to work in the farm sector in the next season.

Somchai said that there is a condition in the employment contract stipulating that the Thai workers must fulfil the 5-month employment period, otherwise they will be blacklisted from joining this employment program in the future.

He disclosed that he was informed by his South Korean counterpart that about 16 of this group of 80 workers had run away from their employers and that most of them hailed from Udon Thani, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen and Maha Sarakham.

He also said that he is concerned that this incident may negatively impact other Thai workers who wish to work in South Korea, adding that he will seek a meeting with the South Korean ambassador to Thailand to discuss the issue.

Currently, about 45 workers from Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani are applying for E-8 visas to work in agricultural sector in South Korea.

The Employment Department has instructed its officials in the provinces to coordinate with relatives of the errant workers to discover their whereabouts, in order to bring them back to Thailand as soon as possible because they may face imprisonment and fines for visa violations.

Commenting on this incident, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the government will not help the absent workers because they broke the law.

Citing a popular proverb “one rotten apple spoils the barrel”, he said the workers themselves should have an awareness of self-responsibility.