LABOUR
PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN
Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong has warned job brokers not to overcharge people seeking to cash in on the high demand for workers in the United Arab Emirates.
She said the ministry is working on ways to ensure a fair deal for all sides and warned of the dangers of charging too much.
Mrs Uraiwan referred to the unpleasant experience of Thai workers sent to Saudi Arabia decades ago. They were forced to borrow a lot of money to pay the very high charges, including air tickets, which should have been paid by their employers.
"Job brokers should join hands and work together," said Mrs Uraiwan.
Her ministry was planning measures to ensure benefits for both job recruitment companies and labourers.
The regulations would help job seekers save on expenses, many of which would be met by their employers. The UAE had agreed to give financial help for travel, accommodation and meals.
The UAE needs foreign labourers to feed its investment boom, with about 1,200 projects planned over 10 to 14 years.
There are jobs at management level as well as for skilled and semi-skilled labourers.
Mrs Uraiwan said the ministry recently ran a workshop for job placement companies and labourers to prepare them for the new labour market in the UAE.
Supat Kukhun, director for international cooperation under the ministry, told all participants to be aware of the UAE's employment practices. The country values both jobs and the dignity of workers, who should not be exploited.
"The UAE doesn't want to see its country serve as a human trade hub," Mr Supat said.
There are only 12,000 Thais out of three million foreign labourers in the UAE, according to the Labour Ministry.
The Thai labour administration office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said there are vacancies for up to 20,000 Thais in the next three years in the industrial and service sectors.
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