Fisheries issues Seabook renewal guidelines to ease labour crunch

Thailand’s Fisheries Department set Seabook renewal steps for foreign crew with documents expiring on 13 February and 31 March, to curb labour shortages.

The Department of Fisheries has issued guidelines for renewing seafarer books (Seabooks) for foreign crew members whose documents will expire on 13 February and 31 March 2026, in a bid to ease labour shortages in the fishing sector.

Prathet Sorrak, the department’s deputy director-general, said the move follows Cabinet approval to renew work permits for foreign nationals from Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. 

“Without follow-up measures, the end of the permitted period could worsen labour shortages and affect the national economy,” he said. He added that, due to unrest along the Thai–Cambodian border, procedures for Cambodian nationals have been put on hold for the time being.

Under the renewal framework, foreign workers must undergo a medical check-up, obtain health insurance and complete their work-permit renewal application before the relevant supporting documents or work permit expire.

If the Department of Employment registrar finds the application accurate and complete, the worker may be granted permission to work for a further year—until 13 February and 31 March 2027.

Workers must also obtain a passport or a passport substitute document and apply for temporary permission to stay in the kingdom that matches the renewed work-permit period.

To align with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ policy, the Department of Fisheries has also prepared guidelines for issuing Seabooks for foreign workers. 

Applicants may use the receipt confirming submission of a work-permit renewal application and the fee payment receipt as documents in lieu of a work permit, together with other supporting documents required under the Prime Minister’s Office regulations on Seabook issuance under fisheries law.

Applications can be submitted at designated receiving offices: the Bangkok Fisheries Provincial Office and fisheries offices in 22 coastal provinces. The Seabook’s validity will match the authorised employment period. 

Once a foreign worker receives the renewed work permit, they must submit it to update the information in their Seabook so it corresponds with the work permit.

The Department of Fisheries stressed that fishermen wishing to employ workers from these groups on fishing vessels must also complete temporary stay permission procedures with the Immigration Bureau in line with Interior Ministry notifications, and comply fully with Labour Ministry requirements within the specified timeframe. 

Otherwise, once work permission or permission to stay expires, the Seabook will also expire, the department warned.

For further information, enquiries can be made at provincial fisheries offices, the Bangkok Fisheries Provincial Office, or the department’s Fisheries Resources Management and Measures Determination Division on 06-6114-5077.