The Labor Office in Manila (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch
The Labor Office in Manila (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch, was established in September 1994 following a resolution by the Cabinet on February 8, 1994. Initially, it was named the “Labor Office in Hong Kong (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch.” However, due to political issues between Mainland China and Taiwan, the name was changed to its current title.

The reason the Ministry of Interior of Thailand (formerly the Department of Labor under the Ministry of Interior) proposed establishing an additional Thai Labor Office in Kaohsiung was that “currently (in 2023),” there are approximately 67,939 Thai workers in Taiwan, with the number expected to increase to 100,000 due to the demand for labor in large-scale government construction projects, manufacturing industries, and domestic helpers. Most employers and factories are located in central and southern Taiwan, while the Thai Labor Office is situated in Taipei, in the northernmost part of Taiwan. This creates obstacles in providing services such as document certification and assistance to Thai workers, as well as fostering good understanding between employers and employees. As a result, Taiwanese employers have turned to hiring Vietnamese workers instead of Thai workers. Therefore, the Cabinet was requested to approve the establishment of a labor office in Kaohsiung.

**Staffing and Budget Allocation**
When the Thai Labor Office in Kaohsiung was established, it was approved for an initial staff quota of two civil servants: a Director (Level 7) and an Assistant (Level 6), along with four local employees: an interpreter, a clerk, and a driver. The office was located on the 14th floor of the 50-story Grand 50 Tower in the World Trade Center, Kaohsiung, at 14F-4, 80 Mintzu Rd.1, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from 1994 until May 2019.

Later, in 1997, due to political changes in Mainland China, specifically the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to Mainland China, and to avoid affecting international relations with Mainland China, the Ministry of Labor changed the name of the Kaohsiung Labor Office to the Labor Office in Manila (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch. Currently, the office has a staff quota of two civil servants: the Director (Senior Director) and the Deputy Director (Expert). It is located on the 11th floor of the UFO Building, No. 12, Fuxing 4th Road, Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City, 806, Taiwan, from May 2019 to the present.

List of Directors of the Labor Office in Manila (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch

Minister Counsellor (Labour)

Counsellor

The Labor Office in Manila (Part 2), Kaohsiung Branch, is responsible for protecting Thai workers and promoting employment in eight cities in southern Taiwan, including Kaohsiung, Tainan, Pingtung, Taitung, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua, and Penghu Island. As of February 2025, there are approximately 21,951 Thai workers in these areas.