New medical checks for work permit extensions

[buksida]

Announced on July 1st aliens extending work permits need to have a full health certificate with checks for the following:

Leprosy
Tuberculosis
Drug Addiction
Alcoholism
Elephantitus
Syphilis

Advanced medical certificates were usually only required for new work permit applications - now they're asking for it on the annual extension which has never happened before.

More information and forms can be found here: http://wp.doe.go.th/sites/default/files ... rm_tt5.pdf

[PeteC]

The mix has changed radically. Traditionally Europeans, North Americans, Japanese, Koreans and Australians made up probably 80%+ of WP holders. Now things have shifted to India, the Middle East, Mainland China, and the Philippines to a degree. I can see why they may want to be cautious as it's a whole different world in those places concerning communicable diseases. Pete

[Vital Spark]

Scary stuff, but thankfully I don't suffer from any of them.

I thought that I'd have to jump through these new hoops when I renewed my work permit last month, but I obviously sneaked in before the new regulations.

I do wonder how many of the 'poorer' immigrant workers employed by the factories are going to be able to afford all these tests. When we pop down to our local immigration office (every 90 days) there's usually a dubious looking local Thai factory owner with a whole stack of papers and passports to get processed clogging up the works. They usually barge in front of the queue, lots of wais and hellos, and dump their visa applications on the already heaving desk. I guess they get stamped in due course and it's business as usual down at the factory. They're not going to pay for medical checks, and the poor immigrants can't afford it - so they'll probably just ignore it.

Oh heck! Do I really have to go to the local hospital, next year, and have a needle jabbed into my little vein (which hurts and leaves a great big bruise), just to confirm I haven't got something I knew I didn't have? Can't they just take my word for it?

VS

[Super Joe]

I remember this came up before and it's been around since 1979 but rarely imposed, be interesting to see if they enforce it rigorously with farangs or just neighbouring migrant workers or what!? These things are supposed to be tested for 'retirement' long stay O-A extensions, re-entry permits too according to all the guff...

The mix has changed radically. Traditionally Europeans, North Americans, Japanese, Koreans and Australians made up probably 80%+ of WP holders. Now things have shifted to India, the Middle East, Mainland China, and the Philippines to a degree. I can see why they may want to be cautious as it's a whole different world in those places concerning communicable diseases. Pete

I think you're dead right Pete, apparently in 2009 there were 16,000 Brits & American's here with WP's, compare that number with these below. These are the people with the lurgees that I'd assume they're most concerned about, I think this is suggesting that 16000 odd Burmese have elephantitis. They should be easy enough to spot seeing as their ankles are wider than their waists ....
3.3.2 Transnational Labour Migration
A lot of foreign workers have migrated to work in Thailand, both legally and illegally, especially low-wage labourers from neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos, China and Cambodia. Since 2003, the government has allowed the registration of alien workers. In 2006, there were 705,293 registered foreign workers; 539,416 (76.5%) from Myanmar; 90,073 (12.8%) from Laos; and 75,804 (10.7%) from Cambodia. The provinces with the highest numbers of workers from Myanmar are Bangkok, Tak, Samut Sakhon, Chiang Mai, and Ranong, each having 20,000 to 90,000 workers (Department of Employment). The number of registered foreign workers has dropped to about one half and it is estimated that there are a lot of unregistered workers.
As Thailand has had more and more alien workers particularly along the borders, several infectious diseases are widespread such as malaria, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS, poliomyelitis, and anthrax. Certain diseases that Thailand could once be able to control have re-emerged, such as filariasis; it was reported that 3% of Myanmar workers along the border were carriers of such a disease.


SJ

[PeteC]

A great barometer of engineering and foreign management WP holders in my industrial area here is my daughters school. When she started in 2007 70% were Western kids. Then came the 2008-09 meltdown and hundreds of western specialists were recalled, and have been replaced since mainly with India and ME engineers. Her school mix is now 30% or less Western. Dozens of houses where I live are corporate owned and given to those here on contract, most are now occupied by Indian/ME.

I don't know the wording of the rules but per casual conversations, her school almost lost its 'International' status last year as there were too many of one/two groups and not enough of others. I don't know how many countries need to be represented and at what count to be certified as 'International'. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

Is any of this really going to change anything? Buksi - you know as well as I do that the 'advanced' exam for first WP involved standing in front of the reception desk at the docs and if you could in fact stand there - were a fairly average colour - and not pissing all over the floor - you were classed as fit as a lop.
OK yes the criteria for WP's should indeed be tightened. At one time (and probably still now) the criteria were simply ludicrous and totally lacking any form of accreditation or serious checks.
What I do think is particularly stupid is the inference that the Thai immigration authorities may be quite happy to allow farang in to the country who suffer from elephantitis - syphyllis - TB etc and yet won't allow them permits to work.
What the hell these things have to do with work is beyond me. In fact they have nothing to do with work - it is simply that at Immigration stage they don't know how to apply their own laws. They find it much easier to hit at WP application stage, which applies to a tiny percentage of farang so is pointless.

[buksida]

Its no biggie really, just another brick they put in the wall of bureaucracy you have to climb over every year (the visa extension was easier this year so I guess it balances). I remember the old days as you say mags, the medical cert cost 50 baht and you rock up at any clinic where upon a doctor will stick his head round the door, state; 'yep, he's alive' and you walk out with it two minutes later.

This one was pretty simple also, Bangkok hospital did it within the hour, a blood test and chest x-ray for 600 odd baht.

The annoyance is that Thailand has no system of differentiation, everyone gets tarred with the same bureaucratic brush. If migrants from Burma, Laos, India and Cambodia are their targets with these new health checks they're barking up the wrong tree as most of them don't even bother with work permits.