South Korea has placed four provinces in northeastern Thailand on a blacklist, suspending the import of seasonal agricultural and fishery workers for 2026 after some were found to have absconded from their employers.
The Ministry of Labour on Tuesday confirmed the report, which had been circulating widely on social media, according to the Anti-Fake News Center Thailand Facebook page.
The ministry’s Department of Employment said some Thai workers recruited under a memorandum of understanding for seasonal agricultural and fisheries work under the E-8 visa scheme had fled from their employers.
The workers were from four northeastern provinces: Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum and Maha Sarakham.
As a result, the department said, Korean authorities had placed the offending workers on a blacklist and suspended the import of seasonal workers from the four provinces from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2026.
Minister extols opportunities
Meanwhile, Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat on Tuesday encouraged Thai workers heading abroad, saying overseas employment offered opportunities to earn income and gain valuable experience.
Speaking at a pre-departure training session for Thai workers at the Bangkok Social Security Office Area 3, Mr Julapun offered encouragement to workers preparing to travel to South Korea, Taiwan, Israel and Japan. Drug screening tests were also conducted before departure.
He said his ministry attached importance to overseas employment because it not only generated income and remittances for the country, but also allowed Thai workers to gain skills and experience abroad, which he described as valuable human capital for national development.
He said overseas work also gave Thai workers opportunities to learn new technologies, cultures and ways of life, enabling them to apply the knowledge and experience to improve their careers and quality of life upon returning home.
Many Thais who had previously worked abroad had gone on to become entrepreneurs and establish stable businesses, he added.
A total of 597 Thai workers attended the pre-departure training session, including 220 travelling to South Korea and 377 others heading to different countries through recruitment agencies.
Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat delivers remarks to Thai workers heading overseas during a pre-departure training session on Tuesday. (Photo: Ministry of Labour)
