Myanmar conflict may drive surge of workers to Thailand

[webfact]

 

The ongoing conflict in Myanmar is predicted to drive its citizens towards Thailand in search of work, according to the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai). Following the 2021 military coup and the government’s urgent need to bolster its forces through conscription, Myanmar residents eager to avoid the draft may seek refuge in Thailand, potentially entering the labour market illegally.

 

EconThai Vice-Chairman Tanit Sorat urged the Thai government to be attentive to these potential labour market shifts, particularly concerning the working status and job applications of Myanmar nationals. Typically, individuals from neighbouring countries are permitted to work in Thailand through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand and the nation in question.

 

Thailand’s economy leans heavily on migrant workers from neighbouring countries, who typically take on menial roles often classified as the 3Ds – dirty, difficult, and dangerous – that Thai citizens prefer not to do, said Tanit.

“We need migrant workers in many industries and the agricultural sector.”

EconThai reports that Myanmar workers are found across a range of sectors in Thailand, including food processing, electronics, auto parts, tyres, garments and textiles, fisheries, sugar cane, rubber, and construction. They are primarily located in Bangkok or the provinces of Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, and Nakhon Pathom.

 

At the moment, approximately 2.3 million workers from Myanmar, the largest group of migrant workers from neighbouring countries, are in Thailand. Many of these individuals enter through the MoU between the two nations, while others are granted permission to work following the Thai cabinet’s approval, said Tanit.

 

“This number excludes illegal workers. If this group of workers were included, the total number of workers from Myanmar would be 4 million.”

The political turmoil in Myanmar also impacts border trade, as businesses are forced to alter transportation routes and bear additional logistics costs.

 

In related news, in Thailand’s Tak province, young Myanmar nationals, including women, evade military conscription, facing apprehension by border soldiers amidst rising resistance against Myanmar’s junta.

 

by Alex Morgan 

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-20

 

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[delgarcon]

This will be a problem for the Thai workforce, as the Burmese accept a lower wage, same as the Eastern Europeans in England.

Edited February 20 by delgarcon

[Tropicalevo]

29 minutes ago, delgarcon said:

This will be a problem for the Thai workforce, as the Burmese accept a lower wage, same as the Eastern Europeans in England.

That is assuming that Thailand lets them in.

Thailand has a brilliant record of naming most of them as 'illegal workers' when in fact many are refugees who just want to work and earn money for their families.

These refugees, unlike many others, do not sit and wait for handouts. They do not have the money or documents to apply as those described in the article.

Thailand's support of the military and drug lords in Burma is just shameful.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The ongoing conflict in Myanmar is predicted to drive its citizens towards Thailand in search of work, according to the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai). Following the 2021 military coup and the government’s urgent need to bolster its forces through conscription, Myanmar residents eager to avoid the draft may seek refuge in Thailand, potentially entering the labour market illegally.

Thailand needs workers, why make it difficult for them to come?

[retarius]

Will they be skilled workers?

[Sydebolle]

Thailand could fix its labour shortage overnight. I know of many Burmese who went to work in Taiwan and Korea as it seems either "mission impossible" to obtain a legal employment with visa and work permit or being royally screwed by one of those countless agents. 
In the - for Thailand so important - hospitality business you could create immediate relief as Burmese are more skilled with languages, pretty good cooks and in general easier in adaptation to the host country. 

Under the ASEAN umbrella as well as the AEC2015 the freedom of employ among its citizen within the area was written down; fact is, that it does not work. All the while Thai welders and construction workers find easy employ at same conditions as the locals in i.e. Singapore.

So, in short, it is all just hot air and lip services rendered to fill pages in the dailies until the next subject pops up again - how sad 😞