Bangkok Bar Host Crackdown: Thai Authorities Target Illegal Foreign Workers

Employment officials conduct raids in Lat Phrao, Phaya Thai, and Huai Khwang, arresting ten foreign nationals working without proper permits in 'bar host' venues

 

Thai labour authorities have conducted a series of targeted operations in Bangkok's Lat Phrao, Phaya Thai, and Huai Khwang districts, focusing on establishments suspected of employing foreign nationals without the necessary work permits.

 

The Department of Employment, under the direction of Director-General Somchai Morakotsriwan, carried out the raids as part of an ongoing effort to protect job opportunities for Thai citizens and ensure legal and fair employment practices for foreign workers.

 

Somchai emphasised that these actions align with the Labour Minister's commitment to prioritising employment for Thais and regulating the foreign workforce according to the law.

 

Dedicated teams are consistently inspecting businesses to prevent foreign workers from taking jobs reserved for Thai nationals and to raise overall employment standards.

 

The latest operation, which took place on Friday, 9th May 2025, saw collaboration between the Department of Employment's inspection unit, the Immigration Bureau's Investigation Division 1, and local police from Bang Sue, Sutthisan, and Chokchai stations.

 

A total of eight premises, including massage parlours, spas, restaurants, and entertainment venues, were inspected across the specified Bangkok districts.
  



 

During a visit to one 'bar host' establishment, a type of venue where staff socialise with and serve customers, authorities found a number of individuals resembling foreign nationals awaiting clients and engaged in tasks such as mixing drinks and attending to patrons.

 

Upon inspection of their documentation, ten foreign workers were found to be in breach of Thai employment regulations:


One individual was working without any form of work permit.
Seven individuals were working without a work permit and were residing in the country without the required immigration status.
Two individuals were working without a work permit and had overstayed their permitted duration of stay in Thailand.


 

Furthermore, one employer was also found to be in violation of the law. All those detained were formally charged and subsequently handed over to police investigators at Chokchai Police Station for legal processing.

 

Somchai elaborated on the penalties outlined in the Royal Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers' Employment B.E. 2560 (2017) and its subsequent amendments.
  

Foreign nationals working without authorisation or outside the scope of their permitted employment face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, followed by deportation and a two-year ban on applying for future work permits from the date of their conviction.

 

Employers or businesses found to be employing foreign nationals without work permits or allowing them to work in unauthorised roles face fines ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 baht per illegally employed foreign worker.

 

Repeat offences can result in imprisonment for up to one year, fines ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 baht per illegally employed foreign worker, and a three-year prohibition on employing any foreign workers.

 

"The Department of Employment urges all businesses to adhere strictly to the law to safeguard the rights of Thai workers and foster a standardised employment system," concluded Somchai. "Members of the public who observe the illegal employment of foreign nationals are encouraged to provide information or lodge complaints with the Central Job Registration and Job Seeker Protection Division at 02 354 1729, the Bangkok Metropolitan Employment Offices (Areas 1-10), provincial employment offices nationwide, the Ministry of Labour's hotline on 1506 (press 2), or the Department of Employment's hotline on 1694."

(2025/05/10-00:00)