Thailand cracks down on foreign teachers without work permits
Thai authorities are taking strict action against foreign teachers working without the right papers.
Officials have started checking language schools in Bangkok after eight South Korean teachers were caught working illegally last week.
The Department of Employment (DoE) and Immigration Bureau officers visited schools in the Ratchada and Bang Na areas on February 9 to check for teachers without legal permits.
The checks are part of a larger effort to stop foreigners from working without permission, which officials say could take jobs away from Thai workers.
The Bangkok Post reports that the crackdown follows a police raid on February 6 at two branches of a language school on Ratchadaphisek Road.
Eight South Korean teachers were arrested because they did not have work permits. In Thailand, foreigners who want to work as teachers must have a non-immigrant visa and apply for a work permit with the right qualifications.
Anyone caught teaching without a permit faces a fine of up to 50,000 baht ($1,475) and will be sent out of the country.
Schools that hire undocumented teachers will also be fined, with penalties increasing for repeat offenders. In some cases, school owners could even face jail time.
Authorities are encouraging foreigners who want to work legally to get proper work permits.
