Under Curfew!

[khall64au]

Phuket welcomes tourists, but not workers, especially those from Cambodia, Laos and Burma

Tue, May 1, 2007

PHUKET: Warm welcome for tourists doesn't extend to workers

The Nation (Bangkok, Thailand)

Province imposes curfew on foreign labourers, tracks their cell phones, bans them from driving cars or motorbikes

Phuket may have acquired a global reputation for warmth and hospitality, but since late last year authorities there have imposed controls on migrant workers that are so stringent they may violate fundamental human rights.

Phuket provincial authorities now prohibit migrant workers from leaving their residence after 8pm, unless they are under the supervision of their employer.

They also keep tabs on their mobile phones and prohibit them from getting behind the wheel or driving a motorbike.

Deputy governor Worapot Ratthasima said yesterday the province had issued 10 such administrative regulations since last December 19.

They are meant to control the 32,070 migrant workers from Burma, Laos and Cambodia who have registered to work on the island since last year.

A labour shortage in Phuket has brought a flood of workers from neighbouring countries.

Another regulation prohibits employers from hiring migrant labourers who lack work permits.

Mobile-phone use is regulated to adhere to the province's security policies.

Employers were required to submit a list of their migrant workers who have mobiles, the registration numbers of the phones and the names of those who own the phones and SIM cards to the provincial authorities, Worapot said.

Phuket will soon hold a meeting for business operators, to ensure that they accurately understand the new rules controlling migrant workers, he said.

Employers will be informed that they are required to provide clean and hygienic accommodation for migrant workers, and the ratio of toilets to workers must meet Public Health Ministry rules.

Worapot warned that those who violated the new regulations would be punished under the Immigration Act of 1979.

Penalties range from a Bt500 fine to three years in jail.

Worapot said Phuket pioneered these regulations, which followed complaints from Thai residents who wanted controls on migrant workers using mobile phones, riding motorcycles and going out at night.

Eight upper-South provinces with a high number of migrant workers have followed Phuket's lead, including Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

[leisurely]

I don't understand why the phone calls are being monitored? Maybe Than The wants to phone her mum in Rangoon and tell her she's OK but not allowed a motor bike?

We employ a Burmese woman to do our housework (I hate the expression maid), and she is the most delightful person. She is fabulous with our two girls, excellent at all the stuff I don't want to do - cleaning, washing, ironing.......... sadly for her although she is registered it is somehow done by her husband's employer and she is limitted to Bangna. ridiculous.

When she first started working for us people warned me about leaving our children with her, apparently it is a well known fact that Burmese workers steal/ransom western children. sTill not happened.

[Dupont]

I don't understand why the phone calls are being monitored? Maybe Than The wants to phone her mum in Rangoon and tell her she's OK but not allowed a motor bike?

We employ a Burmese woman to do our housework (I hate the expression maid), and she is the most delightful person. She is fabulous with our two girls, excellent at all the stuff I don't want to do - cleaning, washing, ironing.......... sadly for her although she is registered it is somehow done by her husband's employer and she is limitted to Bangna. ridiculous.

When she first started working for us people warned me about leaving our children with her, apparently it is a well known fact that Burmese workers steal/ransom western children. sTill not happened.

Yes, but do you pay her a Falang salary? A Thai Salary? or an absolute pitance!!

If not paying a pittance, why can you not get a Thai to do it (seeing as we are in Thailand) or get a falang to do it ?????

You saying that you are a better slave owner than the Thai Government or something? or that its ok for you to have a slave as you have PC credentials?

This registering mobile phones makes perfect sense and has been applied to Thai mobile phone owners.

Like it or not, people use mobile phones to set off bombs and deal in drugs and people traffiking. I had to register my phone and never batted an eyelid. Whats the problem there?

Some Burmese exiles are waging a war from Thailand and are also moving vast amounts of drugs into and through this country.

[leisurely]

We pay her very well and the reason we don't have a Thai is her language skills. She speaks, reads and writes english and speaks Thai. I couldn't find a Thai person who was willing to live out and get here at 7am and speak English.

[farangsay]

.....

This registering mobile phones makes perfect sense and has been applied to Thai mobile phone owners.

Like it or not, people use mobile phones to set off bombs and deal in drugs and people traffiking. I had to register my phone and never batted an eyelid. Whats the problem there?

......

When and where did you register your phone ?

I recollect plans for phone registration back in 2005 but they were apparently never implemented.

On arrival last year I bought a new SIM card at a 7/11 with no formalities whatsoever.

[markg]

English is listed as a second language in Burma.

And it isnt in Thailand.

I see both sides of this argument. I think the immigrant workers from other asian countries are treated pretty poorly and are looked down on by other Thais.

I definitely registered my mobile phone. I cant remember when, but i seem to remember they were threatening everyone with a cut off line if we didnt register. Wasnt it October a year and a half ago? I went into big c downstairs and did mine.

[Mid]

Another regulation prohibits employers from hiring migrant labourers who lack work permits.

name another country with a law to enforce an existing law ....................

re: mobiles , is it just registration or are they banned from using them after 8 pm ????

and how is that human rights report coming along ...........................................