The Labour Ministry has emphasised those who wish to work as seasonal farm workers in South Korea can only participate in a programme through the ministry.
This follows Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn's meeting with South Korea's Employment and Labour Minister, Lee Jung-Sik, during the Labour Ministry's official visit to the East Asian country last month. Mr Pipat also met with the governor of Gyeonggi province Kim Dong-yeon, and several agricultural entrepreneurs in need of employees.
Mr Pipat said they discussed Thais working in South Korea and added that the Labour Ministry's Department of Employment (DoE) has created a memorandum of understanding (MoU) template that can be used to sign partnerships with any local authorities in South Korea to send Thai workers to the country.
Mr Pipat stated that only the DoE is authorised to send workers to South Korea under this programme and warned prospective participants to avoid applying for the programme with other agencies.
Somchai Morakotsriwan, director-general of the DoE, said his agency had successfully entered into an MoU with South Jeolla province's Goheung County on Tuesday to bring in seasonal agricultural workers from Thailand.
Mr Somchai said South Korea is currently looking to bring in 3,000 workers of all types, and those interested in working in Goheung County via the E-8 visa must be Thai citizens from Yasothon or Satun aged between 25 and 50. They must also be a registered farmer or have at least a year of related experience.
The minimum wage is about 265 baht per hour, so they will be able to earn about 50,000 baht a month, he said.