Authorities will legalise Lao workers in Thailand
Lao authorities expect to begin a new round of verifying nationality and legalising the status of thousands of Lao workers in Thailand in the coming months, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare said last week. Dr Khampheng Saysompheng told local media during his attendance to the meeting between the cabinet, Vientiane Mayor and provincial governors that discussions with Thailand are needed to set a precise date to begin the work. Currently, more than 100,000 Lao workers and family members are still residing in Thailand without proper documents, the minister said citing information provided by Thai authorities. Lao and Thai authorities completed the joint mission earlier this year to legalise illegal Lao workers and more than 70,000 have been granted work permits. Originally, the two authorities planned to complete legalising all the Lao workers during the last joint mission, but the number of Lao workers still without work permits is huge, therefore they could not complete the task.
