Thai Examiner
Southern senator warns Thais losing out in Malaysia’s service economy due to an Immigration crackdown
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Key facts
- Senator warns 200,000 Thai workers and ฿200 billion in remittances are threatened by Malaysian crackdown
- Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul warns that over 200,000 Thais previously worked across the border, generating ฿200 billion annually
- Malaysia targets undocumented workers in 10,374 immigration operations, arresting 37,313 migrants
- Over 2,300 Thais have been arrested for immigration pass offences since January 2025
- Malaysia arrests 37,313 undocumented migrants as restaurant raids target thousands of foreign workers
- Malaysian immigration chief questions claims of 200,000 Thai workers as official permit figures emerge
Summary
### Malaysia targets undocumented workers in 10,374 immigration operations, arresting 37,313 migrants. Senator Chaiyong says southern Thai families depend on cross-border jobs worth ฿200 billion annually. Now he wants Bangkok to secure new work permits.
Malaysia’s ruthless immigration crackdown threatens a major economic lifeline for southern Thailand. Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul warns that over 200,000 Thais previously worked across the border, generating ฿200 billion annually. Now, Malaysian officers have arrested 37,313 undocumented migrants in nine months, with restaurant raids netting thousands more. Over 2,300 Thais have been arrested for immigration pass offences since January 2025.
A leading Thai senator has warned that Malaysia’s immigration crackdown threatens employment and income across Thailand’s southern border provinces.