Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan has ordered ministry officials to deal with a Chinese company in Prachin Buri that failed to pay the wages of more than 700 foreign workers in the past two months, a spokesman said.
On Friday, about 700 migrant workers from Myanmar protested in the Rojana Industrial Estate over unpaid daily wages.
Mr Phiphat has instructed officials from the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and various state agencies to follow up on the matter, according to Phumiphat Mueanchan, the Ministry of Labour's spokesman.
The workers were employed by Chang Cheng Co to build a three-storey manufacturing plant for electronics, drawing on investments by iFound PCP (Thailand) Co Ltd, which was funded by the Chinese government, a source close to the matter said.
The construction began in February and was slated to end in March next year, the source said, adding the project is about 70% complete.
An initial investigation by the ministry showed a delay in payment for the workers, beginning in June, due to slow international money transfers from a parent company in China, Mr Phumiphat said.
Yet the workers were required to continue to work despite the non-payment, he said.
Labour authorities and company representatives on Saturday worked together to provide each unpaid worker 500 baht as temporary relief, Mr Phiphat said.
The company said it would pay the missing wages in cash on Wednesday at the site, he said.
Mr Phumiphat said the protest was lawful because it took place on private property, which made it more manageable.
Labour inspectors and state agencies are scheduled to visit the site today to check documents regarding labour protection and employment of migrant workers to formulate solutions to the matter.
They will also ensure the employer complies with the law, he said.
