Workers from three neighbouring countries to be allowed to renew work permits

They need to have worked in Thailand for more than four years.

Thanakorn said the Cabinet signed a memorandum of understanding on labour cooperation under an employment agreement.

It will allow Cambodians, Laotians and people from Myanmar who have worked in Thailand for more than four years to apply for a work permit extension of up to two years.

The approval aims at solving the problem of travel for foreign workers in the present Covid-19 situation. It will also respond to demand for foreign workers so the business and economic sectors can move forward, he pointed out.

The Cabinet also approved an Interior Ministry draft regulation which will allow these workers to be able to stay in Thailand for six more months to apply for work permits.

Under the MoU, there are 54,236 workers from Myanmar, 26,840 from Cambodia and 25,504 from Laos.