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THE NATION: Thai government expects



Thai government expects exodus of illegals during new
year holiday 

posted at 16:00 hrs (Bangkok time) 

BANGKOK, April 10 -- Thailand will not use force to repatriate hundreds of thousands of foreign
workers, expecting them to return home voluntarily during next week's Thai new year festival,
reports said Friday. 

''We expect about 300,000 illegal workers will be repatriated without force by the end of April,''
Labor Minister Trairong Suwankhiri was quoted as saying in the Nation daily. 

He said most were leaving with one-way tickets during the Songkran festival holiday between April
13 and 15, adding that security would need to be stepped up to stop them returning. 

''We have to do this because we face our own unemployment problems. More than 300,000
unemployed Thais have applied for jobs with the ministry,'' Trairong said. 

The labor minister's comments came after a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, on Thursday. 

The Bangkok Post quoted the minister as saying that some 120,000 illegal workers had already left
peacefully. The ministry has advised employers to tell foreign workers not to return after taking their
Songkran holiday.(AFP)