Warning Thai Women About Mistreatment Overseas

[mcd]

At 9 am on 22nd June a meeting was held at the Town in Town Hotel to lecture local Thai women and leaders of various women’s associations about the dangers on going overseas.

It is estimated that there are currently up to two million immigrant workers in Thailand. Not only do these workers perform some of Thailand’s most dangerous and difficult jobs, they do so with little or no protection of their labor rights. Moreover, immigrant workers often earn only half of what Thais receive for the same work.

Thailand also sends its own nationals overseas to work under equally dismal conditions. Up to 300,000 Thais are currently working in foreign countries, mainly around northeast Asia, but also in further parts of the world, such as Israel and North America. Payment from these workers supports families and communities all over Thailand. However, despite this clear benefit to the nation, the Thai government has taken few steps to prevent the persistent and severe mistreatment of Thais working abroad.

Since 2002, 620 Thai women have been saved and sent back to Thailand. The country that sends back the most is Japan, followed by Malaysia, South Africa, England, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Currently Thai women are continuously being sent back from South Africa – mostly for prostitution. Two of the women sent back from South Africa in January 2006 stated that a woman in their village fooled them to going, they were promised good salary and good work and they had to pay for the travel and contact costs in advance and when they arrived they were abused. Many stated that Thai people are particularly vulnerable to abuse in host countries. The majority have no more than a Grade 6 education and no knowledge of the host country’s laws. At the same time there are many more Thai women and youths seeking overseas work.

This meeting was to get their attention and lecture them so that they will be more aware of what to look out for when abroad.

http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.asp?F...;IdArticle=6342

[tropo]

Thailand also sends its own nationals overseas to work under equally dismal conditions. Up to 300,000 Thais are currently working in foreign countries,

I found this interesting, and also hard to believe that only up to 300,000 Thais are working overseas.

[moo9]

Thailand also sends its own nationals overseas to work under equally dismal conditions. Up to 300,000 Thais are currently working in foreign countries,

I found this interesting, and also hard to believe that only up to 300,000 Thais are working overseas.

at least!

But sometimes they seem to mix up "working" and "being married"

Edited June 24, 2007 by moo9

[Humphrey Bear]

All the Thai Government needs to do is to follow the Phillipines Government basic regulations and then try to relate them to current conditions.

I often post my experiences of how poorly Filipinas are treated abroad, but this is only partly due to the PI govt. Most is due to the prejudices and sick attitude of most Middle Eastern people, man and woman.

The PI govt does what it can, while maintaining a friendly relationship with the local authorities. The Thai govt does ###### all, as far as I can see.

The PI govt has a register of authorised employment agencies for overseas wiorkers. So does the Thai govt. The PI employment agencies are constantly monitored. I have never heasrd of a Thai agency having any oversight from the government.

Unfortunaely, currently working in Saudi Arabia (aka Sandland / the Magic Kingdom), I have no Thai workers, due to the diplomatic problems from the eighties. But elsewhere, when dealing with these agencies, I found the PI people professional, eager to see the conditions their workers would be receiving, very responsible.

I found the Thai agencies wanted to know how much they could get back from the monthly pay of the workers, how much commission they would receive from me, if we would pay air-fares, so on.

We tried to start our own employment agency in BKK, but were forbidden. Thai-only agencies was the rule.

[tropo]

All the Thai Government needs to do is to follow the Phillipines Government basic regulations and then try to relate them to current conditions.

I often post my experiences of how poorly Filipinas are treated abroad, but this is only partly due to the PI govt. Most is due to the prejudices and sick attitude of most Middle Eastern people, man and woman.

The PI govt does what it can, while maintaining a friendly relationship with the local authorities. The Thai govt does ###### all, as far as I can see.

The PI govt has a register of authorised employment agencies for overseas wiorkers. So does the Thai govt. The PI employment agencies are constantly monitored. I have never heasrd of a Thai agency having any oversight from the government.

Unfortunaely, currently working in Saudi Arabia (aka Sandland / the Magic Kingdom), I have no Thai workers, due to the diplomatic problems from the eighties. But elsewhere, when dealing with these agencies, I found the PI people professional, eager to see the conditions their workers would be receiving, very responsible.

I found the Thai agencies wanted to know how much they could get back from the monthly pay of the workers, how much commission they would receive from me, if we would pay air-fares, so on.

We tried to start our own employment agency in BKK, but were forbidden. Thai-only agencies was the rule.

It's difficult to compare PI and Thai foreign workers.

The PI has an overseas population of over 10 million which is huge compared to the Thai population abroad. Using this figure, it would indicate that 10% of all Filipinos live abroad. There's over 4 million in the US alone and Filipino is the 6th most spoken foreign language there.

Filipinos are already westernized in their thinking and integrate far better than Thais in most overseas communities....apart from the fact that all high school graduates and above have a reasonable command of the English language and are reasonably computer literate.

Edited June 26, 2007 by tropo

[Humphrey Bear]

We're talking about the government systems for protecting citizens abroad.

The Thais need more protection precisely because they do not have the international attitude fostered in PI.

My experiences with both are in employing large work-forces in the construction industry, plus Filipina nurses and domestics. The PI govt, of whatever complexion, always has inspectors and consuls visiting - the Thai govt never.

[frikkiedeboer]

At 9 am on 22nd June a meeting was held at the Town in Town Hotel to lecture local Thai women and leaders of various women's associations about the dangers on going overseas.

It is estimated that there are currently up to two million immigrant workers in Thailand. Not only do these workers perform some of Thailand's most dangerous and difficult jobs, they do so with little or no protection of their labor rights. Moreover, immigrant workers often earn only half of what Thais receive for the same work.

Thailand also sends its own nationals overseas to work under equally dismal conditions. Up to 300,000 Thais are currently working in foreign countries, mainly around northeast Asia, but also in further parts of the world, such as Israel and North America. Payment from these workers supports families and communities all over Thailand. However, despite this clear benefit to the nation, the Thai government has taken few steps to prevent the persistent and severe mistreatment of Thais working abroad.

Since 2002, 620 Thai women have been saved and sent back to Thailand. The country that sends back the most is Japan, followed by Malaysia, South Africa, England, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Currently Thai women are continuously being sent back from South Africa – mostly for prostitution. Two of the women sent back from South Africa in January 2006 stated that a woman in their village fooled them to going, they were promised good salary and good work and they had to pay for the travel and contact costs in advance and when they arrived they were abused. Many stated that Thai people are particularly vulnerable to abuse in host countries. The majority have no more than a Grade 6 education and no knowledge of the host country's laws. At the same time there are many more Thai women and youths seeking overseas work.

This meeting was to get their attention and lecture them so that they will be more aware of what to look out for when abroad.

thai prostitutes are regularly bought and sold in south africa. they are normally brought over by thai ex prostitutes, and sign a "contract", whereby they have to repay a sum of around 300000thb, after which they are allowed to keep half their earnings.and some actually sign these contracts knowing that they can never pay them back, but hoping that some rich farang will rescue them, marry them and pay off the contract. the thai "mammasangs" often sell the "contracts" to each other, or to illegal brothel owners here. the women never complain. most often, once the contract is paid off, they have outlived their usefulness, and are either sold at reduced rates, or arrangements are made to have them deported. the thai embassy and authorities are aware of this practice, but the only time they act is when the girl actually goes to the embassy for help. in isaan villages, there are plenty of people -often thais married to farang, who practise this evil occupation, and there is an endless stream of willing victims...........farang men are often bought and sold in isaan, too, although under different circumstances. and the guy doesnt even know it has happened to him, even after marrying the purchaser... he just finds that his wife has debts that need repaying.......... and ends up paying his own purchase price!

yes, human trafficking by thais seems to be quite an acceptable practice, and the authorities conveniently turn a blind eye. either deliberately, or they cannot act unless a complaint is laid- and we all know that thais generally do not complain. a very sad, and sick thing, but unfortunately very real.

frikkie

south africa