PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2024 at 04:00
Nine hundred Thai labourers will be sent to Finland this year to work the berry harvesting season.
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn had a video conference call with Finland’s employment minister, Arto Setonen, yesterday to discuss the related legal measures.
According to Mr Phiphat, the government will send 900 berry pickers to the Scandinavian nation this year.
He said their qualifications have been checked and authorised by Helsinki to ensure that they comply with the employment contract.
The ministry is now waiting for the documents to be sent to the Royal Thai Embassy in the Finnish capital for final verification.
As soon as the documents have been verified, the workers will depart, the minister said.
Mr Phiphat said Finland can request more workers if necessary. He will go to the country next month for an inspection.
“This bilateral cooperation aims to ensure that the benefits, welfare and security of the workers are protected and to encourage more workers to go work in the country in the future,” he added.
Mr Satonen, meanwhile, said the Finnish authorities would proactively work on issuing residency visas for Thai labourers because they are in high demand.
They would focus on measures such as work contract requirements, daily working hours, and wages, he added.