147 Thai workers who has been left over in Libya are nearly back home.

       Mr. Pongsak Plengsang, MOL political spokesman, disclosed a progress of aiding 147 Thai workers since Mr. Phithoon Kaeothong, Minister of Labour, has urgently command after receiving petition from Thai worker’s relatives, authorities and House of Representatives. The progressive implementation can be concluded as follows;
          Department of Employment collaborates with 4 employment agencies, sending job seekers to work in Libya, namely Sense Merit Co.,Ltd, Jupiter World, Co.,Ltd, B.S.B. Overseas Co.,Ltd and Thai Aswalert, Co.,Ltd. All of 4 companies are willing to support traveling expenses after arrived Thailand. At present, Ambassador, Tripoli and CKG Co.,Ltd. has applied EXIT VISA for entirely 147 Thai workers. However, Immigration Bureau has not been able to conclude this issue due to a great number of workers and varied duration period of individual Working Visa causing expiration fare is diversified. Royal Thai Embassy in Tripoli, therefore, aided Libya Immigrant Bureau to group Thai workers as their Working Visa period which can be divided into 4 groups as follows;
          1. Thai workers whose Working Visa has not expired yet shall not pay for any fare but Visa fee for 120 Dinar each (3,500 baht)
          2. Thai workers whose Working Visa has expired since the beginning of 2009 shall pay exit fee and fine in case of expiration. The rate is calculated from the date of Exit Visa has been issued. 
         3. Thai workers whose Working Visa has expired since 2008 shall pay for exit fee and expiration fare for 550 Dinar each (16,500 baht)
         4. Thai workers, who are not obtain Working Visa, totally 12 people. They have only arrival stamped evidence but the employer did not apply for Working Visa for them, they shall  pay a fare for charge of unobtaining Working Visa for 1,000 Dinar (30,000 baht)
         In this regard, Labour Office in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) has further reported that Royal Thai Embassy in Tripoli officially informed in writing to Libya Immigrant Bureau to accelerate the process of issuing EXIT Visa to Thai workers, particularly, to the group of Thai workers whose Visa is valid so as to be able to back to Thailand before Thai workers will be back to Thailand. Royal Thai Embassy in Tripoli will 2nd subvention to Thai workers additional 70 Dinar (2,000 baht) as well.
          Mr. Pongsak further addressed that Mr. Phaithoon significantly places important on Thai workers because Thai worker’s relatives and their daughter used to directly request for assistance and he promised to raise them. At present, MOL has closely gone through this group of workers and informed their cousin to be relieved because they have food and enough money to pay for a fare to Libya government. With anticipation, this group of workers would be back to Thailand by or before December 2009.