Thailand cuts back on number of Israeli firms allowed to recruit agricultural workers

The government of Thailand has decided to cut down the number of Israeli manpower companies allowed to operate in Thailand in light of the worsening conditions set by the firms for Thai workers asking to work in in agriculture in Israel.

Thai Labor and Social Welfare Minister Phaithoon Kaewthong has sent Interior Minister Eli Yishai a letter on the matter saying the Thai government will increase its supervision of the companies.

Of the 42 manpower companies that were licensed to operate in Thailand and recruit farm workers, only seven had their licenses renewed after winning a Thai government tender. In response, a number of the companies rejected asked MK Yaakov Katz, who heads of the committee on foreign workers, to hold hearings on the tender, which they claim was held without clear criteria.

The firms say the Thai government has established a cartel of Thai and Israeli companies for importing foreign workers. Katz has asked the Interior Ministry for information on the relations between the companies, and the true price paid by the laborers to work in Israel. Katz also wants to look into whether they are attempting to raise the price paid by the workers to the manpower firms.

There are now 23,000 Thai agricultural workers in Israel, and the quota is 27,500 for 2009.