Immigration denies claim 200,000 Thai nationals working at tomyam restaurants

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has denied claims that some 200,000 Thai nationals are working at 5,000 tomyam restaurants in Malaysia.

As of Sept 15, only 12,629 Thai nationals held valid Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) to work in the restaurant services sector, including 12,541 cooks.

Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the Thai cooks comprised 7,559 men and 4,972 women.

He said the remaining workers comprised 43 Thai nationals employed as restaurant crew, 38 as eatery workers and seven as restaurant workers.

"The claim that 200,000 Thai nationals are working in around 5,000 tomyam restaurants in Malaysia cannot be verified.

"However, Immigration will continue enforcement action against employers or premises hiring foreigners without valid passes or work permits," he said.

Meanwhile, Zakaria said 2,316 Thai nationals were detained in enforcement operations for misusing their passes under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 from 2025 to Sept 15.

He said Immigration operations were now focused not only on undocumented foreigners, but also employers, agents and individuals who protected or took advantage of illegal immigrants.

"Employers who hire foreign workers without valid documents can face action under the Immigration Act 1959/63," he said.

On Oct 1, Thailand's Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) claimed that more than 100,000 Thai nationals working at tomyam restaurants in Malaysia did not have valid work permits.

Acting SBPAC secretary-general Chonthanya Saengphum claimed that around 200,000 Thai nationals were working in about 5,000 tomyam restaurants in Malaysia, with more than 50 per cent allegedly lacking valid work permits.