Children of migrant labourers or illegal workers have replaced Thai children in the labour market, because local children are staying in school longer, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said yesterday.

"Evidence suggests that migrant children from neighbouring countries are taking their place," ILO said in a statement.

It said some migrant kids worked despite the fact they were as young as 10 years old.

The ILO statement was issued to mark World Day against Child Labour, which falls on June 12. This year's focus was on child workers in agriculture. The aim is to try to end the worst forms of child labour by 2016.

Guy Thijs, deputy regional director of the ILO's Office for Asia and the Pacific, said there were more than 20,000 migrant children working in fisheries and the food-processing industry in Samut Sakhon.

"They have worked without any welfare," Thijs said. He urged relevant parties to help press for hazard-free, child-labour-free agriculture in Thailand.

Labour Minister Apai Chandanachulaka said he had instructed the Labour Protection and Welfare Department to enforce laws against the abuse of child labour strictly. Offenders face up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of Bt200,000.

Thai law does not allow children under 15 years of age to work. Adolescents aged 15-18 can work, with parental consent, in non-risky and chemical-free fields.

While the ILO recognised Thailand's "considerable progress" in eliminating child labour, Thijs said many child workers were still trapped here by vicious human traffickers.

The ILO is implementing a three-year programme here to back the government's National Plan of Action on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. It will also help interventions in six provinces: Chiang Rai, Tak, Udon Thani, Samut Sakhon, Pattani and Songkhla.

The project will focus on preventing and eliminating the worst forms of child labour in these provinces, within a framework of provincial strategies on education, poverty reduction and human-resource development. This will be done through awareness-raising, education, vocational training and helping families. It aims to develop models of good practice that can be replicated in other provinces.