Companies who employ workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have until tomorrow (Monday) to extend their work permits through the electronic system or at employment service offices of the Labour Ministry.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Traisoranakul said today that employers who fail to extend the work permits by the deadline may face fines from 10,000 to 100,000 baht, if they continue to employ these workers, and will be banned from hiring migrant workers from any of those four countries for three years.

Migrants who do not have their work permits extended within tomorrow will not be able to work legally in Thailand. If they do, they can face a fine of between 5,000 and 50,000 baht and will be barred from returning to Thailand to work again fortwo years, said Traisuree.

Workers who have their permits extended will be issued with a temporary permit, which will allow them to work until February 13th next year or until February 13th, 2025 as the case may be.

On February 7th, the Thai cabinet decided to extend the work period for migrant workers, whose permits are due to expire on February 13th, until May 15th, so that they can prepare documents to apply for full permits.

As for migrant workers from Myanmar working in Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ranong and Chon Buri provinces, the Thai cabinet has agreed to extend the period in which they can apply for a Certificate of Identification (CI) until May 13th, to solve the problem that they may be dropped out of the employment system.