BANGKOK: The government needs to tackle the issue of unscrupulous recruitment agents if it hopes to curb the number of phi noi, or “little ghosts”, in South Korea, in reference to Thai immigrant labourers.
According to the Bangkok Post, the Thai government was looking into the possibility of increasing the quota under the Employment Permit System and providing courses, such as language proficiency, to upgrade the skills of Thai labourers to work in South Korea.
Employment Department director-general Suchat Pornchaiwiseskul said they were working with their South Korean counterparts to turn these phi noi into legal workers.
“The government is struggling to deal with illegal migrant labourers returning to Thailand after the South Korean government grants them amnesty.
“These illegal migrants will not be blacklisted and will be allowed to return to work in South Korea again, thanks to a memorandum of understanding between Thai and South Korean governments.”
About 150,000 Thai migrants are working in South Korea, of whom 70,000 hold work permits. The Labour Ministry expects more than 60,000 Thai illegal labourers will return to the country by the end of June.
South Korea is becoming a preferred destination for Thai blue collar workers because of the attractive salary, while South Korean employers also prefer Thai workers in some popular businesses, such as Thai massage outlets and factories.
Apart from trying to improve the skills of Thai labourers and seeking a bigger quota of jobs they can legally perform, the Labour Ministry is struggling to find a way to deal with recruitment agents.
These agents are a major factor that led to the rise of the phi noi.
Chulalongkorn University’s East Asian Studies Institute researcher Samarn Laodamrongchai said phi noi migrants cannot get jobs by themselves and get assistance from Thai and South Korean agencies, which lure them to work by promising high salaries.
Recruitment agencies charge each worker about US$6,000 for travel and job arrangements.
“Some workers get a loan from a local agent just to travel to work in South Korea. Working in foreign countries is not a matter of money for these villagers. It is also a question of pride for families as those workers return home with a lot of money,” said a recruitment agent in Udon Thani province.
Some workers might take two years to pass training and language courses, so they use recruitment agencies to get jobs for them.
One legal Thai worker who obtained a legal job under the EPS system told the Bangkok Post that the increasing number of phi noi reflects the labour shortage problem in South Korea.
“Migrant workers attract business owners because of their low wages. Small- and medium-sized enterprise owners are likely to hire these kind of workers.”
He said massage and spa businesses were growing and tied to the sex industry, as some women provided sexual services with a massage.
“The problem is those who do not consent are eventually forced to do so,” he said.
Thai embassy in Seoul labour attaché Pinyuda Chamchansri said the South Korean government launched a scheme to reduce the number of Thai migrants by allowing them to return home legally before June 30.
“For those who want to come back legally, the government gives them an opportunity to clear their criminal records.
“However, if they are caught again they will be fined according to how long they have violated the law during their stay.”