Recently, many Thai nationals have been entering Taiwan using the visa-free policy with the intention of working illegally. However, most of them encounter problems—they are unfamiliar with Taiwanese employers’ work culture, or the jobs they end up with don’t match the income promised by illegal brokers. More than half end up requesting to return home. Some don’t even have money for plane tickets and have to seek help from the Thai Trade and Economic Office or the Thai Labor Office. However, government agencies have no budget to assist illegal workers, forcing them to rely on relatives to transfer money for their return tickets, causing a chain of difficulties.

This situation stems from South Korea’s strict crackdown on tourists entering the country to work illegally (often referred to as “ghost workers”), which has even affected genuine tourists. Additionally, finding jobs in Thailand isn’t easy, leading illegal broker networks—operating like organized crime—to coordinate job placements in Taiwan. Brokers in Thailand advertise to potential clients, collect fees for arranging travel schedules, and then notify their counterparts in Taiwan. The brokers in Taiwan then arrange taxis to pick up Thai workers entering on visa-free permits—much like a tour company picking up customers. Once picked up, the workers are taken directly to their employers.

A recent news example involved an employer protecting an illegal Thai worker by driving a backhoe to smash a police car into scrap metal. The reason? This employer had previously been caught hiring three Thai workers who entered Taiwan as tourists. He was fined, and all workers were deported. This time, when another illegal worker was discovered, the police handcuffed the Thai worker. Fearing heavy fines, the employer pulled out a knife and charged at the police, forcing them to retreat outside the office. This allowed the Thai worker to escape despite being handcuffed. However, after about a week on the run, he turned himself in.

The worker, identified as **Wutthiphong Boontham**, a 38-year-old from Phayao Province, not only worked illegally but also faced charges for escaping custody. Since he fled during the employer’s outburst, he couldn’t return to Thailand and had to remain in detention awaiting trial. Meanwhile, the employer was charged with hiring foreigners without permission, obstructing official duties, and aiding a suspect’s escape.

Police revealed that Wutthiphong was picked up by a taxi upon arrival in Taiwan and taken directly to a recycling plant. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and questioned the driver, who claimed he was only instructed to pick up a foreigner from the airport and deliver them to the factory, knowing nothing else. This confirms that these illegal brokers operate systematically, with coordination between Taiwan and Thailand. Taiwanese police will share information with Thai authorities, seeking cooperation to investigate and arrest members of this illegal broker network.

**Source: Rti**