By Yoon Sat - Jun 07, 2024

It is reported that the Thai government has approved the issuance of a pink card for document of residency for foreign workers, including illegal Myanmar workers, to live and work as legal workers in Thailand.

"Yes. It has been approved. It was submitted to the Thai government by the Thai Ministry of Labor, and the Thai government approved it. The approval has been received. There is no exact date when the process will start. The starting date and the cost will be announced later," said a person based in Thailand assisting Myanmar workers in Thailand.

The Thai Ministry of Labor submitted a request to the Thai government to issue a pink card for foreign workers including Myanmar, Vietnam, Lao and Cambodia nationals to become legal workers to live and work at Thailand. Thai Labor Minister and officials from various relevant departments met and discussed, and it was decided that foreign workers living and working illegally in Thailand would be issued legal residence permit, pink card as a document for residence.

The Thai Labor Minister said that this decision was made to make it convenient for the Myanmar nationals who entered Thailand illegally due to the political situation in Myanmar and the expired MoU workers who have difficulty returning home due to various reasons.

In addition, foreign workers including Myanmar, whose work permit will expire on February 13 2025, will be allowed to extend it for two (2) years, and if that period expires, they will be extended another two (2) years just like MoU workers, according to the statement.

In addition, workers who work in the Thai-Myanmar border areas with blue Border Pass books will be allowed to stay and work for 6 months, while previously they were allowed to stay and work for 3 months.