BANGKOK, Dec 2 Kyodo Thailand and...

BANGKOK, Dec 2 Kyodo

Thailand and Taiwan signed a labor agreement Monday after a three-month delay caused on a dispute over issuance of a visa to a senior Taiwan official.

Thai Labor Minister Suwat Liptapanlop and Chen Chui, chairwoman of Taiwan's cabinet-level Council of Labor Affairs, witnessed the signing of the agreement at a ceremony

The signing was at first scheduled for Aug. 29 yet delayed after the Thai regulation decided not to issue Chen a visa, citing the kingdom's ''one-China policy.''

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra later called the visa refusal a misunderstanding and said Thailand would issue an hall visa for her as protracted as her visit involves absolutely economic matters.

Chen was issued a business visa for her visit, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Rattakit Manatat told Kyodo News

The agreement, which is aimed at protecting the rights and advance the employment of Thai workers in Taiwan, will allow Taiwan employer to make use of Thai workers without intervention of private engagement agencies, thereby reducing the outlay of going to work in Taiwan on 63% per worker.

About 150000 Thais move to work in Taiwan each year, accounting for around half of all Thai overseas workers.

Thai workers, for the most part in construction and industrial works, annually cast some 50 billion baht (about $119 billion) back to Thailand, according to Labor Ministry statistics.

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