Labor Minister Julpan revealed that no Thai workers have been affected by the Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. He supports Thai workers abroad in using the SMART TOEA app to record their location for emergency assistance.
On 30 July 2026, Mr. Julpan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labor, spoke about the earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan, stating the ministry’s concern for all Thai workers overseas. Regarding this earthquake, he ordered the Labor Office (L.O.) in Japan to closely monitor the situation. According to reports coordinated with local labor organizations and the Consulate General in Fukuoka, as of 30 July 2026, the Labor Office in Japan has coordinated with 22 employers and organizations to track 187 Thai workers. All workers are safe with no injuries or fatalities from the earthquake and continue working normally. No workplaces have been damaged to the extent that workers cannot continue. The Japanese Labor Office will continue close monitoring with the employers to support the workers.
Minister Julpan added that regarding evacuation to safe locations, employment contracts assign employers the responsibility to evacuate workers or trainees to safe or shelter areas in case of disasters. If workers cannot continue working in Japan, employers must cover the costs of sending them back to their home country.
The Ministry of Labor promotes all Thai workers abroad to activate the SMART TOEA application, which records the location of their workplace or residence so the Ministry, embassies, and related agencies can provide timely assistance in emergencies.
If Thai workers in Japan require assistance, they can contact help 24 hours a day through the following channels:
- Emergency hotline numbers: +81 (0) 80-3153-9700 and +81 (0) 90-6537-0340
- Line IDs: labourhotline1 and labourhotline2
- Facebook Inbox: Thai Labor Office in Japan
