The Labour Ministry expects to have more than 1.4 migrant labourers legally registered by the end of this month.
Minister Adul Sangsingkeo called on Thai employers yesterday to ensure their migrant workers are enrolled with the ministry at any of its 80 one-stop service (OSS) centres nationwide.
Some 248,319 of more than 1.4 million migrants have legally registered and secured work permits so far.
As for Bangkok, Pol Gen Adul said two additional OSS centres have been set up to serve migrant workers so all of them can complete the registration process this month.
They are located at the ministry and on the 6th floor of Tang Hua Seng department store in Bang Phlat district.
Pol Gen Adul insisted the government would not extend the registration period again.
Jarin Chakkaphark, permanent secretary for labour, said registered migrants will receive a 13-digit identification number.
Their information would be stored in the Provincial Administration Department's transnational labour database, which will link with those of the ministry and the Immigration Bureau, officials said.
Mr Jarin said the ministry would intensify its efforts to work on the registrations in order to develop the database for the benefit of Thai employers, migrant labourers and other agencies.
"We [the ministry] will develop a mobile app that will make it easier for authorities to examine migrants' details and protect them so they can have access to labour welfare," he said.
The migrant labourers would also be protected and entitled to welfare benefits under the Emergency Decree on Foreigners' Working Management.
However, it may just be easier for the workers to find a new job. The decree stipulates that employers must inform the authorities whenever a migrant labourer is about to be hired, fired or plans to resign.
Officials from various agencies have been stationed at the OSS centres to accommodate the workers and their bosses, said Anurak Tossarat, director-general of the ministry's Department of Employment.
Thailand has been stepping up efforts to ensure foreign labourers are legally documented as part of a move to stamp out human trafficking.
