Immigration DG Gives Breakdown Of Thai Nationals Working At Tomyam Restaurants Amid Claims 200,000 Are In Malaysia
Only 12,629 Thai nationals held valid work passes for the restaurant services sector as of 15 September, including 12,541 cooks.
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The Immigration Department has disputed claims that around 200,000 Thai nationals are working at some 5,000 tomyam restaurants across Malaysia, saying the figure could not be verified
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that, as of 15 September, only 12,629 Thai nationals held valid Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) to work in Malaysia's restaurant services sector.
Of that number, 12,541 were employed as cooks, reported the New Straits Times.
Most Thai restaurant workers with valid passes are cooks
Zakaria said the 12,541 Thai cooks comprised 7,559 men and 4,972 women.
The remaining 88 Thai nationals with valid passes were employed in other restaurant-related roles:
- 43 as restaurant crew
- 38 as eatery workers
- Seven as restaurant workers
He said Immigration could not verify the claim that 200,000 Thai nationals were working at around 5,000 tomyam restaurants in Malaysia.
However, the department would continue taking enforcement action against employers and premises found hiring foreign workers without valid passes or work permits, Zakaria said.
The Immigration Department's figures come days after Thailand's Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) raised concerns over Thai nationals working at tomyam restaurants in Malaysia.
On 1 October, acting SBPAC secretary-general Chonthanya Saengphum claimed that around 200,000 Thai nationals were working at about 5,000 tomyam restaurants in Malaysia.
More than half of them, or over 100,000 Thai nationals, were allegedly working without valid work permits, according to the Thai authorities.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.
Image via New Straits TimesImage viaMore than 2,300 Thai nationals were detained over pass misuse in over a year
Zakaria also said 2,316 Thai nationals had been detained during Immigration enforcement operations between 2025 and 15 September for misusing their passes under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
He said enforcement efforts were now focused not only on undocumented foreigners, but also on 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.
