Migrant Labor Policy and Labor Shortage Problem: A Case Study of Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok

Abstract

         The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the policy of migrant workers in Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok, 2) to study the current situation regarding the problem of migrant labor shortage in Wang Thonglang, Bangkok, and 3)  to make a Recommendation for the management of migrant labor shortages in Wang Thonglang, Bangkok. This study is a qualitative research. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with senior management, operator, and stakeholders at the total of 21 individuals. The data were analyzed based on the qualitative analysis method. The results of the research found that: 1) migrant labor policy in Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok included 1.1 Emergency Decree on Migrant Work Management B.E. 2017, 1.2 Strategies for solving and preventing labor shortages 2017-2021, and 1.3 Migrant Labor Policy. 2. The current situation of the problems regarding the shortage of migrant workers in Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok were 2.1 Labor shortage, 2.2 Immigration restrictions, 2.3 Travel and physical examination expenses, 2.4 Documents required for immigration, 2.5 Some types of work that Thai workers refuse to do, 2.6 Competition for migrant workers, 2.7 Current migrant workers, and 2.8 Shortage of migrant workers. 3. The recommendations for the management of migrant labor shortages in Wang Thonglang, Bangkok included: 3.1 Migrant worker organization, 3.2 Application for permission to import migrant workers, 3.3 Determination of the minimum wage rate, 3.4 Finding a detention facility, 3.5 Cost reduction measures related to COVID-19 screening measures for entrepreneurs, and 3.6 Guidelines for managing migrant workers.