In June 2017, Thailand enacted the "Decree Concerning the Management of Foreign Workers' Employment", which imposes up to five years in prison and up to 1000,000 baht (US$2,935) in fines on migrants caught working without a permit. Passage of the law has led to thousands of workers fleeing back to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, or Vietnam for fear of arrest.

Implementation of this law has been suspended for six months to allow workers to secure proper documents, and the government has opened over 100 centres nationwide to register migrant workers from 24 July to 7 August. Related reports are linked below.