Exodus of 1,500 migrant workers daily sparks worry of Thai labour shortage

By THE NATION

 

 

The Thai government wants Myanmar migrant workers to stay in Thailand rather than return to their homeland during the Covid-19 crisis.

 

Suchart Phonchaiwisetkun, Employment Department director general, met with Myanmar Ambassador Myo Myint Than on Tuesday (June 9) to discuss how Thailand would manage the immigrant workers during the pandemic. 

 

Suchart explained that the workers had demanded to continue working in Thailand. Having them return to Myanmar would risk spreading Covid-19 and also cost money to transport them, he said. 

 

If they stayed in Thailand, it would alleviate Thai businesses’ worries of a labour shortage, he added. 

 

“Myanmar officials agreed to the preliminary principles, and want relevant agencies in Thailand and Myanmar to meet in a video conference later,” said Suchart, adding that around 1,500 migrant workers per day were reportedly returning to their homeland, as Thai businesses shut down amid the virus crisis.

 

The Thai government was ready to support and facilitate Myanmar labourers who want to be hired, he said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30389324

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-06-09

 

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3 minutes ago, webfact said:

adding that around 1,500 migrant workers per day were reportedly returning to their homeland

Now if true, that is a cr-p load of workers leaving. They already had major problems before the C19 fiasco released by China.

If they cant get employment here why WOULD they stay when they can go home and probably find it there .

Plenty of unemployed Thais. I'm puzzled as to what the problem is. Oh, maybe it's something to do with wages.

10 minutes ago, nausea said:

Plenty of unemployed Thais. I'm puzzled as to what the problem is. Oh, maybe it's something to do with wages.

100% correct

 

minimum wage and worker rights don't apply to the Asian foreign workers

A population of 68 million and there's a labour shortage, yeah right!

18 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

A population of 68 million and there's a labour shortage, yeah right!

There are plenty of reports on the internet about Thailand's shortage of labour, especially unskilled. Why do you think there are so many Burmese and Laos working here?

 

My wife's nephew and family run a building supplies company and getting workers is a constant problem for them.

 

So yeah right. It is right!

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Thai government was ready to support and facilitate Myanmar labourers who want to be hired, he said

I know a guy who was told by his school that he wouldn't be getting paid while the school was closed, but they expected him to return when the schools reopen. He recently found a new job which he said he had to take 'cause he needed the money. He told his old school he wouldn't be returning. He showed me the barely coherent email they sent him where the only thing you understood was the vitriol towards him. 

 

If that's how some teachers are treated, I'd hate to see how some poor immigrant labourers are treated during these precarious times. 

Edited June 9, 20206 yr by rkidlad

47 minutes ago, smedly said:

100% correct

 

minimum wage and worker rights don't apply to the Asian foreign workers

"Employment law in Thailand applies to local and foreign employees alike, but additional provisions might apply to foreigners (e.g. the Foreign Employment Act) which is partly overlapping with immigration law (e.g. regarding work permits and visa issues)".

 

https://juslaws.com/employment-thailand.php#:~:text=Employment law in Thailand applies,work permits and visa issues).

How about making it easier for them to live and work here? Issue them work permits and they will work they need money give them access to medical care, Thailand has treated them like sh#t for years, take a look at the camps they have to live in.

Thailand doesn't have enough tradesmen they all want to be tuk tuk drivers.

here's a wild and crazy thought. pay people enough money to make them want to work. same stupid thing goes on back home when they import thousands of temporary foreign workers to work farms etc. 

1 hour ago, mr mr said:

here's a wild and crazy thought. pay people enough money to make them want to work. same stupid thing goes on back home when they import thousands of temporary foreign workers to work farms etc. 

It's a whole system apparently, like you have to live in their accomodation, etc., plenty of guys applied but were rejected for stupid reasons. What they want is slave labour. Or, at least, guys coming from a significantly disadvantaged economy, they're not interested in UK guys. That's the truth of it.

So no chance of me learning to be a bricklayer..I hail from UK.

15 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Why do you think there are so many Burmese and Laos working here?

Don't forget the Khmers too! Because they will do what Thais are too lazy to do!  

14 hours ago, nausea said:

What they want is slave labour.

Bingo! 

"Having them return to Myanmar would risk spreading Covid-19"

 

Why? They are currently in Thailand where there are zero cases of local transmission.

16 hours ago, PatOngo said:

A population of 68 million and there's a labour shortage, yeah right!

Wouldn't be so bad if  so many of them weren't so idle, its  sometimes painful to watch them work, if they could leave their phones at home productivity would  double.

Millions of unemplyed Thai people and a shortage of labor ? Doesn't match unless the now unemployed are unwilling or too lazy to do the (hard) labor, usually the foreign workers do. Wake up guys and girls, the fat times are gone, accept the job you have been offered. No work => no food. Provided that there is work offered.

19 hours ago, nausea said:

Plenty of unemployed Thais. I'm puzzled as to what the problem is. Oh, maybe it's something to do with wages.

The vast majority of them here simply don't want to work, irrespective of the wages. You simply can't change lazy. 

19 hours ago, smedly said:

100% correct

 

minimum wage and worker rights don't apply to the Asian foreign workers

does not just apply to Thailand.. many so say "advanced" countries.. same picture...

Okay!  1500 new jobs a day for unemployed Thai workers to fill!  A win win all around.

20 hours ago, nausea said:

Plenty of unemployed Thais. I'm puzzled as to what the problem is. Oh, maybe it's something to do with wages.

Yes , the Thai could also see that the Burmese are more willing to work when they have access to  food .

Here on Phuket , the overwhelming number of needy in the ( farang funded ) food lines are Burmese.

They have been made unemployed  and for months  have been without a scrap of income or food donations and were not even permitted to travel back to their lands  where they had  at least traditional family support.

Of course they wish to leave.

20 hours ago, webfact said:

If they stayed in Thailand, it would alleviate Thai businesses’ worries of a labour shortage, he added.

Slave labour shortage...

not  labour shortage of which Thailand has a couple of million out of work who are idle.!

Edited June 10, 20206 yr by hotchilli

21 hours ago, nausea said:

Plenty of unemployed Thais. I'm puzzled as to what the problem is. Oh, maybe it's something to do with wages.

That and most Thais hate work especially construction work

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Exodus of 1,500 migrant workers daily sparks worry of Thai labour shortage

They just have to get those Lazy Thais that don't want to work (there's plenty) of there butt and make them work instead of bludging on their families.

20 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Thailand doesn't have enough tradesmen they all want to be tuk tuk drivers.

Don't forget bag snatchers and ladyboys! Not every guy can be gainfully employed watching rice grow!

2 hours ago, newnative said:

Okay!  1500 new jobs a day for unemployed Thai workers to fill!  A win win all around.

The big problem would be is to get them to apply for the jobs. Much easier to sit behind wife and watch her cook to earn money. Just ask the wife how hard it is to get workers in her Resturant. She puts up te signs help needed and nobody aplies lol

On 6/9/2020 at 3:00 PM, PatOngo said:

A population of 68 million and there's a labour shortage, yeah right!

69 million 

29 minutes ago, 448glb said:

69 million 

69,790,217, to be precise...do I hear any advance ?

 

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/thailand-population/

Edited June 10, 20206 yr by Trillian

1 hour ago, 448glb said:

69 million 

Yu have to allow for 10 million who hate work