The Singaporean government on Friday returned passports to some 40 Thai students who were cheated by manpower firms in that country, said Pravit Khiengpol, director-general of the Thai Labour Ministry’s Employment Department.
The return of confiscated passports came after nearly 30 Thai students lodged a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok that they were lured by recruitment agencies which had displayed advertisements on a website and on Facebook that Thai students could receive training at famous hotels, restaurants and clubhouses in Singapore.
After working in Singapore for a while, the Singaporean authorities made random inspections and found that the documents allowing them to be trainees were forged.
Their passports were confiscated by the Singaporean authorities while many were asked to become witnesses by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.
Officials of Thailand's Employment Department said later that about 40 Thai students were still stranded in Singapore. Full story
