Migrant Watch

BURMESE MIGRANTS A THORN IN THE THAI SIDE

(By Bop Htaw)

November 3, 2003, Bangkok-Burmese migrant workers in Thailand have become a critical issue to the Thai community as a result of political instability in Burma. Thai civil rights advocates launched a news report with the present senior civil rights groups including the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and leading Thai academics at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

A news report, written in the Thailand language titled: "The Plight of Undocumented Burmese Migrant Workers in Thailand", launched by the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma and Mr. Suluk Sivaruk, a citizen of Thailand on his opening address, urged the Thai community to understand the circumstances of Burmese people who flee or escape from their home country, adding that the Thai should support the people of Burma who are trying to free the hand of military rule.

The plight of undocumented Burmese migrant workers is a misery for the people, as regularly reported, Burmese migrants are threatened, experience unfair labour practices, are forced into human trafficking and repatriation, and corruption, said a member of the Panel.

Ms. Sunee Chaiyarose, Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission of Thailand said that both the government of Thailand and Burma have not systematically managed the labor force for many decades.

The Royal Thai Government and Government of Union of Myanmar reached a common ground to tackle the problems of illegal migrant workers in June this year after a meeting was held in Chiang Mai city. Representatives of both governments issued a "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)" for further cooperation on returning illegal Burmese migrant workers to original country.

According to the Memo, Burmese workers need to hold valid passport and work visa to gain employment in Thailand within conditions and are instructed to follow the new regulation accordingly. No Burmese worker is allowed to remain in employment any longer than four years and a new contract only applies after a three year waiting period.

Ms. Arunee Sitho, Representative of Thai Labor Organization said the current Thai government is not seriously focusing on the labor sector despite the Ministry of Labor attempt in solving the problem. There is no sufficient budget allocation to the labor department by the government, she said.

Recently, Refugees International and the Open Society Institute released several internal reports to concerned organizations with a title of "Pushing Past the Definitions: Migration from Burma to Thailand. According to this report, a total of 448,480 registered migrants underwent the health tests, of which 62,082 were from Burma.

New illegal migrant workers who hold no Work Permit Card face a range of human rights violation in the workforce. In July 2002, a "National Tripartite Seminar on Future of Migration Policy Management in Thailand" was held at United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. According to a report from this seminar, Mr Nakorn Silpa-Archa, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare said that the migration policy should clearly spell out the criteria for working in Thailand.

New arrivals from Burma normally lack a support system and face insecurity, compared with other Burmese communities based in Bangkok. Many have formed their own non-profit association recently with the staff of the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB). Social Welfare Association of People from Burma (SWAPB) was formed in September in Bangkok. Members of the association hold valid work permit cards issued by Ministry of Labor of Royal Thai Government. Members of SWAPB have published a monthly newsletter for Burmese migrant workers; the 'Labor Affair Newsletter' is published by the TACDB.