Malaysia reports 12,629 Thai workers hold valid restaurant permits

The Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) has clarified that 12,629 Thai nationals held active Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) in the cooking and restaurant service sectors as of September 15. This figure refutes claims made by Southern Thailand regional development authorities, specifically the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC), which suggested that approximately 200,000 Thai citizens were working in roughly 5,000 tom yum restaurants in Malaysia, with over 50 percent lacking valid permits.

Of the documented workers, 12,541 are Thai cooks, comprising 7,559 men and 4,972 women. Other roles include 43 restaurant crew members, 38 eatery workers, and seven restaurant employees.

Director General of JIM, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, stated that the department will continue enforcement actions against employers or premises employing foreigners without valid passes or work permits. He noted that 2,316 Thai nationals have been detained for pass misuse during enforcement operations leading up to September 15. Current operations target not only undocumented foreigners but also employers, agents, and individuals who harbor or exploit illegal immigrants.