Bangkok: "Future Sky" is calling for the Department of Employment to settle unpaid wages amounting to 715 million baht, which have been outstanding for over 10 months. The organization stresses its commitment to maintaining the "e-WorkPermit project for registering and issuing work permits to foreign workers" to benefit the nation and reduce corruption risks.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chairat Saengchan, CEO of Future Sky Joint Venture, addressed a press conference regarding the private sector outsourcing project for "Registration and Issuance of Work Permits for Foreign Workers" (e-WorkPermit). He revealed that since the project commenced on October 13, 2025, approximately 1.6 million identification cards have been distributed, generating fees of around 3.8 billion baht for the Department of Employment. Despite this, Future Sky's outstanding payment from the Department of Employment totals 715 million baht.
Mr. Chairat emphasized the continuous negotiation and demand for payment from the Department of Employment. The lack of response over the past 10 months has driven Future Sky to seek intervention from the Administrative Court to recover the unpaid wages. He noted that outdated information in the terms of reference (TOR) underestimated the registration figures, causing bottlenecks in the e-WorkPermit system. Future Sky proposed solutions to enhance service efficiency, including increasing service points in key areas like Samut Sakhon and Bangkok, though these suggestions have not been fully embraced by the Department of Employment.
The TOR stipulates that Future Sky must verify application documents within 24 hours to avoid fines, with a daily target of processing 6,000 documents. In practice, the volume often exceeds this number, reaching up to 90,000 on some days, necessitating additional personnel and expenses. Despite timely verification, documents await approval from registrars for extended periods, raising concerns about the intentions of government officials and the transparency of the process.
Operating under these conditions generates monthly costs of approximately 30 million baht. Mr. Chairat stated that despite these financial challenges, Future Sky remains committed to the project's success to prevent economic stagnation in Thailand. He assured that the organization would continue to demand payment from the Department of Employment and explore ways to sustain operations.
The e-WorkPermit system serves as a crucial hub for foreign worker registration in Thailand. Its failure could negatively impact industrial production and the national economy while also increasing the risk of corruption. Mr. Chairat, alongside legal advisors and company employees, submitted a formal request to the Department of Employment, seeking justice and updates on the pending payments.