Dear readers,
My 22-year-old stepson recently announced that he wants to work in Korea as soon as he can again. Because of the high salaries, this would be interesting to earn money quickly for the future (marriage, etc.).
He thinks Korea would open early next year. Details of how he intends to do it are not yet known. I searched the internet for information.
What I think is that there is an official agreement/cooperation between South Korea and Thailand for Thai workers. I just can't find the exact conditions for this. It will also be too difficult.
But what I also find are the stories of the Thai people who illegally came to work through job brokers. First pay a lot of money and later have run into problems. Having no insurance and no money for expensive hospital bills. Or have been stopped by immigration. Or just think of it.
I'm afraid I can't stop it (his mother died), but I want to make the risks and consequences clear. Others (Thai family) will say that it all goes smoothly and many others do it that way.
Are there any readers who have experienced this in the family or heard and how it turned out?
Regards,
Jan
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My daughter's mother has been in South Korea for almost two years, illegally of course. She first received a crash course in Bangkok at an agency that mediates between Korean employers and Thai employees. My ex says she earns quite well, but has to be careful every day that she is not arrested and (after paying a hefty fine) deported. Is it all worth it?
I don't want to say it's all bad, but I know of two cases who went to work through such a job broker in Korea, with very bad experiences. But probably legal.
Upon arrival, their passports were confiscated and they had to work first to pay for their ticket, in addition to pay for room, food and accommodation, no health insurance, etc.
In both cases, they were criminal swindlers specializing in the slave trade.
End of the song: worked there for 1 and 2 years, extremely long days, no days off, and eventually came back emaciated, dead tired and penniless!
Advice: try to dissuade that boy, he can be forced to do anything there, including working in the sex industry, and making money is not one of them. He should be happy if he has enough money after a year to pay for his ticket back to Thailand or buy his freedom…
Dear Jan,
I have no idea myself, but I did a Google search. I hope English is not a problem for you! Does he already play some Korean? Of course you are dealing with the COVID measures anyway. See the links below, you could search further yourself on, for example, “risks Thai working in Korea”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-southkorea-workers-idUSKBN28W033
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2015499/thai-workers-learn-korean-to-migrate
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2 special156307/govt-warns-of-perils-for-thai-workers-heading-to-s-korea
Greetings, Rutger
After many negative comments I will post something positive. A Thai cousin of ours years ago - he has been back for about 10 years now - worked in South Korea for at least 8 years at a large electronics concern. He lived in a compound on the factory grounds. So life mainly takes place on the factory grounds. At that time he earned 30-40.000 thb per month and also received a (performance) bonus. I don't remember how many hours he had to work, but that will not differ much from the situation in Thailand. During that period he also became seriously ill once, for which he was admitted to hospital. All was neatly arranged and paid for by the employer. I must add that he was/is a hard worker. Every time his contract had expired, it was immediately extended. It is cynical that he thought he had a large piggy bank when he came home after years, but that had been skimmed off considerably by his sister. Among other things, he drove a new car with his money.
I once went to an office with him where these contacts and contracts were arranged. I don't remember if it was an employment agency or a broker. It was very busy!
A Thai employee/driver from the company where I worked at the time also went to South Korea for work in 2014. I interact with him sparingly on Facebook and everything is going well. Works in a factory, earns good money and is yet to return... He paid for his ticket himself. I'll ask how he arranged everything if anyone is interested in finding out...