Gen Sirichai made the announcement on Sunday (Aug 28), after he and a team of officials conducted an inspection tour of fishing boats operating in Phuket waters last Friday, the Royal Thai Navy reported in a release issued yesterday (Aug 29).
Gen Sirichai and his team on Friday visited the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command at Cape Panwa, where they boarded a Navy boat and conducted random inspections of fishing boats in the area.
No irregularities were found, noted the Navy report.
Also on Friday, Gen Sirichai met with officials at Phuket Provincial Hall, where he was also presented with requests from local business operators for the Labour Ministry to standardise hiring requirements for migrant workers in all areas where they are permitted to work.
Gen Sirichai noted that Labour Ministry has standarised procedures for issuing permits for migrant workers in 55 “standard” occupations, but 12 other areas of work were still under consideration.
At the meeting on Friday, Gen Sirichai ordered relevant officials on the island have been ordered to strictly enforce laws relating to foreign workers and rid Phuket of any illegal labourers. (See story here.)
The Phuket News has been unable to confirm whether or not Minister Sirtichai has made any comment on the investigation into the alleged systemic extortion of cash payment by corrupt officials on employers of migrant workers in Phuket. (See story here.)