Julapan launches crackdown on foreign workers in Phuket, finds 69 illegal laborers, stressing that employers and workers must comply with the law.
On 22 June 2026, Julapan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labour, stated that establishing an effective system for foreign workers is a key Ministry policy. It aims to balance business labor demands with protecting workers’ rights per international standards. The goal is for employers to have sufficient workers to drive operations while foreign workers enter employment legally, receiving their rightful benefits. This will improve workers’ quality of life and strengthen the country’s long-term labor stability.
The Minister emphasized that the Ministry prioritizes managing foreign labor alongside strict law enforcement against illegal immigrants and unauthorized workers, including employers and businesses violating laws. The Department of Employment has been instructed to rigorously and continuously inspect foreign workers nationwide.
Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, said the Department has ordered the Central Employment Registration and Protection Division, the Bangkok Employment Offices in areas 1-10, and all provincial employment offices to work closely with local security agencies. They conduct proactive and continuous inspections of foreign workers to prevent and suppress unauthorized work or work outside legal conditions.
Most recently, on 17-18 June 2026, the Phuket Provincial Employment Office conducted intensive inspections of foreign workers and businesses in Phuket. On 17 June, they inspected a restaurant in a central Phuket shopping mall and found one foreign worker—a South Sudanese man—working without permission. Authorities informed him of his rights and charges and detained him, handing him over to Thalang Police for investigation.
Somchai added that on 18 June, inspections at a construction project in Choeng Thale Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket, uncovered 68 foreign workers violating laws: 56 Burmese working without permission and staying illegally, and 12 Chinese working without authorization. Authorities informed them of their rights and charges, detained them, and transferred all offenders to Choeng Thale Police for prosecution. Investigations into employers who hired these illegal workers are also underway.
Additionally, on 20 June 2026, the Phuket Provincial Employment Office joined an integrated operation with the Royal Thai Police and related agencies to launch a crackdown against illegal foreign business operations and nominee networks in Phuket. This supports law enforcement and maintains public order in the area.
Those who witness illegal employment of foreign workers can report tips or complaints to the Central Employment Registration and Protection Division, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour building, 4th floor, tel. 02 354 1729; to any provincial employment office; Bangkok Employment Offices areas 1-10; or the Department of Employment hotline at 1506, press 2.