Lao authorities appeal to Thai employers to allow illegal workers from Laos to return home to register, so that they can go back to work in Thailand legally under a bilateral agreement signed in 2004.
Laos Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavat Boupha made the appeal in a recent meeting with the foreign minister of Thailand in Bangkok.
Officials say over 180,000 Lao workers registered to work in Thailand in 2004. Currently, about 90,000 have registered since 2005.
Thai authorities say there are approximately 400,000 registered and unregisted workers from Laos now in Thailand.
Listen to our Laos Today report for more details.