Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing easing rules for work authorization in Thailand. Let me just jump in. I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thailand allows more Myanmar refugees to work legally. Quoting directly: "Starting October 1, Myanmar refugees living in temporary border shelters are allowed to work in 43 provinces across Thailand. Since the flight of many Cambodian workers during the ongoing territorial dispute between Phnom Penh and Bangkok, there is an acute shortage of migrant workers especially in the construction, factory, fisheries and hospitality sectors. Thai employers will select workers from the shelters, and the paperwork will be completed by the Department of Provincial Administration. Workers will undergo health checks and be registered for medical insurance. Special permits will be issued for one year, renewable. The initial per person fee is 100 baht and the usual work permit fees will be waived. The recruitment shelters have around 42,000 refugees. The Thai Government has memoranda of understanding (MOU) with neighbouring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos to fulfill labour needs, but approvals and registration can take up to 3 months. The current scheme will bypass much bureaucracy while still issuing ID Permits and guaranteeing basic rights such as free health care."

So yeah, this primarily, exclusively pertains to Myanmar nationals, so folks coming over from that border who are looking to be migrant workers here in Thailand. That said, it does pertain to work authorization. For those who are unaware, folks from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, it's now my understanding Philippines and Indonesia have been added to this, Malaysia has always been on the list too, they have special memorandums with the bordering countries, and now even inter-ASEAN or intra-ASEAN I should say, with Indonesia and the Philippines we are also now seeing some cooperation regarding labour authorization for those foreigners here in Thailand. So there are a lot of benefits to foreigners under those memoranda of understanding, but they operate very differently than the standard Work Permit system that most farang, sort of Western foreigners deal with here in Thailand. So that's something to think about as well. 

So the thing to take away from this video and understand is yes work authorization is easing for migrant workers from Myanmar. Bear in mind, if you are a foreigner that's on your own Work Permit, running your own company and you may need labour, you do need to be a little bit careful when dealing with the labour certification of these folks as it is different than what you are dealing with in terms of labour certification for again a farang, a Westerner who is working in Thailand. But look again, one thing I've noticed in certain sectors especially hospitality, where there's a number of Myanmar Nationals working, English language proficiency tends to be higher and that may be a benefit to some business operations here in Thailand. So I could see where the easing of these restrictions on Myanmar nationals could prove to be a win-win for Thailand in terms of labour and the need to fill certain labour gaps here in the Kingdom of Thailand.