Thailand plans to recruit a new batch of 10,000 workers from Myanmar to legally work mainly in industrial sector, according to Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin.

Many Myanmar workers are employed in factories in Mae Sot on the Myanmar border, and others are concentrated in the fisheries and food processing industries.

Deputy Myanmar foreign minister U Maung Myint in talks with Mr. Somsak focused on bringing more Myanmar workers for legal employment, mainly in Thai factories.

The talks were considered a follow-through to discussions held earlier in August between Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Myanmar leaders when Mr. Thaksin visited Pyinmana, the new capital of Thailand’s neighbour to the west.

As many as one million Myanmar workers now working in Thailand must return to their homeland in March next year as their terms of stay and employment here will expire, Mr. Somsak said.

The Myanmar authorities want Thailand to legally employ greater numbers of its nationals here, and stated that its officials would help screen would-be workers wishing to take up employment here.

Myanmar relies on legal migrant workers in Thailand to provide foreign exchange and hard currency for the national budget.

Mr. Somsak said that Thailand may extend the employment contracts for some Myanmar workers whose terms are due to expire next March.

The Myanmar authorities will issue temporary passports within one day for Myanmar workers wishing to work in Thailand.