Migrant workers are being urged to register with the Labour Ministry ahead of the Feb 13 deadline allowing them to remain legally in the country for another two year years if they complete the process.
Dr Apisamai Srirangsun, assistant spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said any foreign worker failing report to the authorities will lose the opportunity to change their legal status and risk deportation.
A total of 416,769 migrant workers have so far registered with the ministry's Employment Department since Jan 15, following the cabinet decision to grant the amnesty.
Dr Apisamai said the measure is intended to bring migrant workers into the system so they can receive proper labour protection and health care, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, 11 recently reopened schools in Tak's Mae Sot district were ordered to close for another week after 14 more people -- among them two students -- tested positive for Covid-19 and 50 others were quarantined, local officials said.
The border district is now designated as a maximum control zone following a recent spike in infections. As a result, large gatherings of people are banned and those arriving from Mae Sot must quarantine for 14 days.
According to local officials, the new cases were detected during active case finding targeting vendors and customers in two wet markets in Mae Sot town.
Out of 2,246 people, 14 tested positive, all of them migrant workers, and were sent to Mae Sot Hospital for treatment.
According to local officials, 50 people have been identified as close contacts with the patients and put into quarantine. However, the two markets remain open with vendors and customers told to comply with social distancing measures.
The proactive screening was prompted by the case of a 75-year-old infected man who came into contact with dozens of people. A total of 11 people from seven families had tested positive and were linked to the man.
