1,716 illegal workers return from South Korea in 8 days
The number of illegal labourers, called “phi noi”, who returned from South Korea from March 2 to 9 reached 1,716, the Immigration Bureau reported today (March 10).
South Korea was listed in a Public Health Ministry announcement in the Royal Gazette earlier this month along with China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Italy and Iran as high-risk countries of Covid-19 infection.
Among the 1,716 returnees, 1,284 were ordered to undergo self-quarantine at their residences, while 537 were taken to quarantine facilities specified by the government and will remain there for 14 days. Seventy-five returnees have displayed symptoms similar to Covid-19, such as fever, while 58 were in the clear and 17 are awaiting test results.
On Monday alone, 216 returnees went through three airports in Thailand. Two were found to have high fever and sent to Mahidol University’s Ramathibodi Hospital for a test.
The South Korean government has announced that foreigners who have overstayed their visas could report to local immigration offices to express their willingness to leave the country by June 30 and they will not be fined or prohibited from re-entering. According to the Labour Ministry, more than 5,000 have expressed their willingness to leave. The total number of “phi noi” in South Korea could be as high as 150,000.