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Thai PM defends South Korea ban on illegal workers
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SURAT THANI — 13 May 2026, Thai Prime Minister on Wednesday said the government could not help Thai workers banned by South Korea for violating immigration or labor laws, insisting individuals must take responsibility for their actions abroad.
Key facts
- Giving an interview at 14:20 during a visit to Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province, Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul responded to reports that South Korea had blacklisted seasonal agricultural and fisheries
- Anutin said he had not yet received an official report on the matter but stressed that countries had the right to ban foreign workers who entered or worked illegally
- It is the same as foreigners illegally working in Thailand, they are also banned
- He pointed to ongoing inspections on Koh Phangan, where authorities had uncovered unlicensed accommodation, illegal villas, and businesses operating without permits
Summary
Giving an interview at 14:20 during a visit to Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province, Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul responded to reports that South Korea had blacklisted seasonal agricultural and fisheries workers from four northeastern Thai provinces: Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, and Maha Sarakham, for the whole of 2026.
Anutin said he had not yet received an official report on the matter but stressed that countries had the right to ban foreign workers who entered or worked illegally. It is the same as foreigners illegally working in Thailand, they are also banned. He pointed to ongoing inspections on Koh Phangan, where authorities had uncovered unlicensed accommodation, illegal villas, and businesses operating without permits.