Thai workers told to avoid travel to Israel and Lebanon amid regional tensions
Thai workers should temporarily refrain from traveling to Israel and Lebanon due to escalating tensions in the region, Poompat Muenchan, spokesperson of Thailand’s Labour Ministry, said on Saturday.
The travel advisory comes in response to recent incidents and the potential for further conflict.
Poompat stated that Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn had expressed concern over the potential for further conflict and advised Thai nationals to postpone any work-related trips to the two Middle Eastern countries until further notice.
He said the minister received reports from the Department of Employment, including updates from labour offices in Tel Aviv and Saudi Arabia. The reports indicate a heightened risk of conflict following an incident on July 31 in Iran. The political chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran.
While cautioning against travel to Israel and Lebanon, the ministry is simultaneously expanding opportunities for Thai workers in other countries. Notably, Thailand has recently strengthened its partnership with South Korea through a renewed memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Employment Permit System.
The new MoU, signed on July 23, will be in effect for two years and includes improved measures to support workers in case of disasters. It also reduces the waiting period for workers to return to South Korea from three months to one month, provided they have completed four years and 10 months of work without changing jobs.
For 2024, South Korea has increased Thailand's E-9 visa quota to 8,688 workers, an addition of 3,888 positions compared to the previous year. The positions span manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, construction, and service industries. So far, 3,270 workers have been dispatched under this programme.
Poompat emphasised that this agreement "will create a clear framework for cooperation in sending Thai workers to Korea", covering aspects such as language and skills testing, travel expenses, immigration procedures, work and living conditions, and repatriation processes.
He reiterated that the ministry continued to prioritise overseas employment as a key economic driver. Despite the setback in opportunities in the Middle East, Thailand remains on track to meet its annual target of sending 100,000 workers abroad. As of July, 77,918 Thai workers have been dispatched, representing 77.92% of the year's goal.
