The justice ministry says it had some 37-thousand illegal immigrants leave the country in the first half of the year. 

The ministry said the government cracked down on more than 20-thousand illegal immigrants during the January-June period, and of that total, ordered nearly 19-thousand to leave the country. 

When considering there are roughly 18-thousand illegal aliens who departed the country voluntarily, the number of  foreigners that had to leave the country under government orders adds up to some 37-thousand. 

Thai nationals took up the largest portion of such foreigners followed by people from Vietnam, China and Mongolia. 

The ministry also fined four-thousand-470 people who illicitly hired foreigners with illegal status while also tracking down 188 brokers who negotiated unlawful hiring and entry into the nation.