Coup strands over a million Myanmar workers in Thailand

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People attended a candlelit prayer vigil outside the U.N. offices in Bangkok on Mar. 4 for those who died in anti-coup protests in Myanmar.   © Reuters

APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writer

Largest Burmese community abroad can only watch the unfolding misery

BANGKOK -- More than one million workers from Myanmar living in Thailand are standing by helplessly as the military ramps up brutality in their home county to try and break the civil disobedience movement.

According to Thailand's labor ministry, there were 2.5 million migrant workers registered in the kingdom at the end of 2020. Of those, more than one million were from Myanmar, making Thailand host to the largest Burmese expatriate community in the world.

There are also many thousands more who are undocumented, according to the Labor Protection Network. Migrant workers from Myanmar often fill jobs that most Thais avoid because of their toughness, dirtiness or poor wages.

Full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Myanmar-Coup/Coup-strands-over-a-million-Myanmar-workers-in-Thailand

 

-- © Copyright Nikkei Asian Review 2021-03-16

 

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[RichardColeman]

Have to feel sorry for these guys, fear going home potentially to be shot or locked up in a Thai factory !

[Nojohndoe]

Those that are here in Thailand already  are hardly "stranded" given they "escaped" for economic reasons already and now have no good reason to go back.The greater issue is how many more will attempt to join them and how many of those will bring more covid-19 with them?

[Olmate]

29 minutes ago, Nojohndoe said:

Those that are here in Thailand already  are hardly "stranded" given they "escaped" for economic reasons already and now have no good reason to go back.The greater issue is how many more will attempt to join them and how many of those will bring more covid-19 with them?

 No good reason to go back! Are you for real?

 

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

Maybe work on allowing them to gain political refugee status and then grant them Thai residency, but then that would be elevating a lesser than's status and not what this government would want to do.  I feel very sorry for them, my GF can not return home to see her mother without fear of reprisals or such as she is an Ethnic Karen.  She has always had isues with the Myanmar Government when it came to her paperwork, if her father had not been in the Myanmar/Burmese army before he died, she would not have the paperwork she does now.  The Myanmar embassy here in Thailand will not assist her with obtaining paperwork, and will only renew her passport when it comes due.

[Enzian]

A bit off topic but not really, on my walk last night I struck up a brief conversation with a Caucasian male on soi 4 Sukhumvit. He asked where I was from (USA), I asked him the same. He said Canada, that he was stuck here since the pandemic began, that he was struggling to keep himself with food and a room, and could I spare anything for him? I had a 20 baht note in easy reach, and gave it to him, adding I was sorry I could not give more. He said that was ok, he could get a bottle of water. He looked normal, not dirty or unfed. There must be quite a story there, but I wished him luck and continued on my way.

[internationalism]

borders are not locked because of coup, but because of covid. Still, thai (and burmese) corrupt immigration officers are able to help with papers.

so people are crossing through the green border.

there were 3 waves of incoming to thailand: in autumn escaping covid in birma (hence outbrake samut sakhon happened),  in winter wave are those taking advantage of thai government offer to legalise all illegal workers, and now spring wave related to coup.

the present wave will be the largest, because birma is entering into civil war, with local militias fighting police and army. 

Not many will try to get back to myanmar, as marshal law is rolling in, so even the domestic travel will be difficult and dangerous. 

Thai junta are supporting the coup, because they always had close connections with burmese army (partly through doing dodgy businesses - human trafficking, drugs, precious stones, timber).  

[ChrisY1]

3 hours ago, Nojohndoe said:

Those that are here in Thailand already  are hardly "stranded" given they "escaped" for economic reasons already and now have no good reason to go back.The greater issue is how many more will attempt to join them and how many of those will bring more covid-19 with them?

So they have no families....no-one back in Burma that loves them?!!

[Nojohndoe]

7 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

So they have no families....no-one back in Burma that loves them?!!

I was not suggesting they have no concerns for family. But given that the Thai Army are preparing "internment" camps  for the expected many possible thousands escaping the increasingly dangerous situation is there any expectation a majority of those already in Thailand are  hankering to go back?

[Nojohndoe]

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

 No good reason to go back! Are you for real?

 

 

 

Certainly I am for real. What reasons for Myanmar citizens to risk going back at this moment in time  can you give when many are already heading out across the borders?

 

[Surelynot]

2.5 million migrant workers.......and 600,000 unemployed Thais.......a lesson in how to depress wages, standards of living and maximize profits.

[Cake Monster]

I read today in a Newspaper out of Bangkok, that the Government are going to build 2 temporary camps for Burmese people fleeing the Coup.

The mind boggles