BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Fisheries has issued updated guidelines for renewing Seabooks for migrant fishery workers whose work authorizations expire on February 13 and March 31, 2026, to prevent labor shortages in the fisheries sector. The guidance follows a Cabinet resolution addressing labor continuity amid regional constraints.
Migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam are currently permitted to work until the stated expiration dates. Due to unrest along the Thai–Cambodian border, administrative procedures related to Cambodian nationals have been temporarily postponed, while work permits for Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnamese workers have been extended to maintain workforce stability.
To qualify for the extension, workers must complete a health examination, obtain health insurance, and submit a work permit renewal application before their current authorization expires. Once the Department of Employment verifies the application, the worker will be granted permission to work for an additional year, through February 13 or March 31, 2027, depending on the original expiry date. Workers must also secure a passport or a substitute travel document and apply for a temporary stay permit that matches the renewed work period.
The Department of Fisheries has also set procedures for issuing and updating Seabooks for migrant fishery workers. Applicants may temporarily use a receipt confirming submission of a work permit renewal application, along with proof of fee payment and other required documents, to apply for a Seabook. Applications are accepted at the Bangkok Area Fisheries Office and provincial fisheries offices in 22 coastal provinces, with Seabooks issued for periods aligned with approved work authorization.
Authorities warned that failure to renew work authorization or legal stay status will result in the Seabook expiring, preventing workers from continuing employment in the fisheries sector.
