Alien Workers Face Immediate Deportation From Thailand

[webfact]

Delay migrant ID deadline, says activist

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Registered alien workers will have till February 28 to apply for nationality verification. Failure to do so would result in immediate deportation.

"If you come forward and submit the applications now, you will have the right to live and work in Thailand," the Employment Department's chief Jeerasak Sukhonthachart said yesterday.

Alien workers must get verification stamps for their nationality within the two years the Thai government agrees to register them. So far, 1,315,932 "alien" workers have stepped forward.

As part of the registration process, they are required to get verification stamps of their nationality - but to date, just over 200,000 people have applied for nationality verification with the Employment Department.

Human Rights and Development Foundation chairman Gothom Arya asked PM Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday to extend the deadline because many Burmese workers were having problems with nationality verification.

"Some Burmese workers feel their lives are at risk if they have to go back to Burma. Political and ethnical conflicts are still going on there," he said.

To get their nationality verified, Burmese workers have to go back to a certified agency in Burma's Tachilek, Myawaddy or Ko Song.

Gothom said some workers didn't understand the NV process and had failed to sign up for it.

A recent survey by the Migrant Working Group revealed 57 per cent of "alien" workers feared the process would put their families in peril. The survey covered 273 respondents in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Chiang Mai, Tak, Ranong, Phuket and Surat Thani.

Some 20 per cent of respondents moved to Thailand because their human rights were violated or they were subject to ethnic or political conflict in their home country.

In all, 59 per cent said they did not want to undergo the process and 26 per cent said they would never pass, even if they went ahead with it.

Up to 30 per cent said they didn't carry Burmaissued documents.

Gothom said if Thai authorities refused to extend the deadline, many Burmese would simply go underground and live here illegally.

"Some corrupt officials may then exploit these people," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-02-23

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[Tejas]

Which planet are we talking about, specifically? All aliens?

I think some might have been encouraged to come here to work on the "plantations."

[Gonzo the Face]

An example of a Thai Survey

Surveyed 279 persons out of 1,315,932

Sounds conclusive to me... bet the farm

?????

[coalminer]

When will the world wake-up and start to handle Thais such as the Thais handle them.

The newsflash of last year about some hundred of Thais stuck in Sweden at the blueberry harvest because the harvest was very poor and they had no money to return to Thailand springs in memory.

[HughJampton]

Is this aimed at just the Burmese or all farangs?

I have had a work permit for a couple of years and go to immigration every 3 months.

Not sure if I now have to submit another documents to register nationality.

Does anybody know?

[ManilaLover]

Which planet are we talking about, specifically? All aliens?

Yes.

Unfortunaley most aliens are better workers then Thais

[webfact]

Thailand: Migrant Workers Face Killings, Extortion, Labor Rights Abuses

February Deadline for Renewal of Work Permits Invites Exploitation

BANGKOK -- The Thai government should swiftly act to end police abuse and discriminatory laws and policies against migrant workers and their families, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The February deadline for more than a million migrant workers to enter the "nationality verification" process or face immediate deportation creates the risk of further abuses and should be postponed until it can be carried out in a fair manner.

Human Rights Watch's 124-page report, "From the Tiger to the Crocodile: Abuse of Migrant Workers in Thailand," is based on 82 interviews with migrants from neighboring Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. It describes the widespread and severe human rights abuses faced by migrant workers in Thailand, including killings, torture in detention, extortion, and sexual abuse, and labor rights abuses such as trafficking, forced labor, and restrictions on organizing.

story continues: http://www.hrw.org/node/88692

-- hrw.org

2010-02-23

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[jonclark]

I would assume that most of this is based at people from neigbouring countries who lack official documentation such as passports etc. A passport I have always assumed is proof of nationality.

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

[ManilaLover]

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Guess this is not more then expectable in a culture who generally think they are better than the rest of the world ? (not to mention the truth which is slightly different)

Why you think I lost all respect for 99%... (and prepare to leave end of the year, finally)

[david96]

I would assume that most of this is based at people from neigbouring countries who lack official documentation such as passports etc. A passport I have always assumed is proof of nationality.

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Alien-Foreign born resident who is not naturalised. It is an official international immigration term.

Source: Oxford English Dictionary 6th Edition. It is used in the USA. in immigration literature.

[soundman]

Actually, they only have until the 26th.

[ManilaLover]

BTW I'm very glad I have 3 'alien workers' and they have the right docs, 15 and 16 year old Burmese sisters who 'live in' and a more experienced Burmese caretaker for old mum 2 mornings/week, without them life would be impossible here because in the past 'non-aliens' proved us enough they work like sh*t and are totally unreliable and unmotivated...

Edited February 23, 2010 by ManilaLover

[jonclark]

I would assume that most of this is based at people from neigbouring countries who lack official documentation such as passports etc. A passport I have always assumed is proof of nationality.

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Alien-Foreign born resident who is not naturalised. It is an official international immigration term.

Source: Oxford English Dictionary 6th Edition. It is used in the USA. in immigration literature.

Thats' true, but you'd think in these more politically correct times we'd be able to find a slightly more human term. I mean if they find life on Mars, will us aliens be lumped in the same categeory as them aliens?

[david96]

I would assume that most of this is based at people from neigbouring countries who lack official documentation such as passports etc. A passport I have always assumed is proof of nationality.

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Alien-Foreign born resident who is not naturalised. It is an official international immigration term.

Source: Oxford English Dictionary 6th Edition. It is used in the USA. in immigration literature.

Thats' true, but you'd think in these more politically correct times we'd be able to find a slightly more human term. I mean if they find life on Mars, will us aliens be lumped in the same categeory as them aliens?

Foreigner is an acceptable term, not so many years ago everyone was a "foreigner" except if you were British.

[jonclark]

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Guess this is not more then expectable in a culture who generally think they are better than the rest of the world ? (not to mention the truth which is slightly different)

Shhh... The government needs the people to think that so that they can maintain control over the populace. The Elite who rule are THE elite and by blaming outsiders for everything, they continue to be the elite and untouchable.

[webfact]

This is not a topic about the meaning of the word Alien or Foreigner.

Please stay on topic

[samran]

Typical. Mostly a bunch of moronic answers on an issue people know nothing about. Alien is simply a translation of the thai term Dang Dao, which is fairly common in usage and doesn't seem to offend people as much as the thin skinned PC types. Boo hoo, you are an alien. Get use to it.

This programme is aimed at Cambodians, Laoations and Burmese who are in Thailand and currently working under the migrant labour programme. Up until now it has been possible for someone to register to work under this scheme without any ID and claim that they were one of these nationalities, when in actual fact they could have been from from Cameroon, Lesotho and Bangladesh.

The nationality checking service requires them to produce an official ID from their home country, or submit their details back to their home countries for verification. Upon verification they apply for a temporary 2 year passport and are granted a 2 years non-immigrant O visa and work permit for Thailand. It also brings them and their families into the Thai social safety net with health care, access to courts, minimum wage etc. It also ensures that those employing them are properly registered etc.

So it is a good system and a worthwhile cause and has been publicised to the target audience since the middle of last year. If anyone is dragging their feet, it is employers not the government.

I've just put our maid through the process and it is pretty painless. She has a new passport, non-immigrant O and is awaiting to pick up her passport on the 4th of April.

I dunno what the Human Rights folk are complaining about. All these problems exist but the Thai government are pulling out all stops to process workers to make them legal, and less prone to the abuses that go on with unregistered workers.

Edited February 23, 2010 by samran

[jonclark]

Typical. Mostly a bunch of moronic answers on an issue people know nothing about. Alien is simply a translation of the thai term Dang Dao, which is fairly common in usage and doesn't seem to offend people as much as the thin skinned PC types. Boo hoo, you are an alien. Get use to it.

You're right, This is the way it has been, is and always will be. Aliens (moronic or not) have no right to discuss anything - Topic Closed

[samran]

Typical. Mostly a bunch of moronic answers on an issue people know nothing about. Alien is simply a translation of the thai term Dang Dao, which is fairly common in usage and doesn't seem to offend people as much as the thin skinned PC types. Boo hoo, you are an alien. Get use to it.

You're right, This is the way it has been, is and always will be. Aliens (moronic or not) have no right to discuss anything - Topic Closed

Is it too much to ask for intelligent comment? I guess not.

[midasthailand]

Typical. Mostly a bunch of moronic answers on an issue people know nothing about. Alien is simply a translation of the thai term Dang Dao, which is fairly common in usage and doesn't seem to offend people as much as the thin skinned PC types. Boo hoo, you are an alien. Get use to it.

You're right, This is the way it has been, is and always will be. Aliens (moronic or not) have no right to discuss anything - Topic Closed

Is it too much to ask for intelligent comment? I guess not.

I drove past the Samut prakarn employment office this morning on my way to immigration to perform the 90 day reporting ritual. There were at least 500 people outside (waiting to get in I guess) clearly some of the illegals are making the effort to become "legal" and thus removing their exposure to the corrupt police that harrass them for money all the time!

[webfact]

Migrants face peril from Thai registration deadline: HRW

BANGKOK: -- (AFP) - More than one million migrants in Thailand face possible deportation and further abuse if they fail to meet a deadline this week to register with authorities, a rights watchdog said Tuesday.

Thailand has ordered all citizens from neighbouring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos to register and verify their nationality by Sunday or risk deportation, as part of an ongoing clampdown on immigration.

But Human Rights Watch said the ultimatum will force an already vulnerable community to endure further abuse at the hands of Thai authorities and employers who they say regularly exploit migrant workers with impunity.

"Millions of migrants living in Thailand have been subjected to various forms of abuse ranging from extrajudicial killings to torture, arbitrary arrest, extortion...," Sunai Phasuk, the New York-based group's Thailand expert, said at a press conference to launch a report on the deadline.

"Migrant workers need to be seen as human beings, not simply as assets."

Some 200,000 of an estimated 1.3 million migrants in Thailand have begun the registration process, and so far 45,000 have completed it, said HRW, quoting official figures.

The watchdog said registration in theory gives migrants a temporary passport and legal footing in Thailand, but unscrupulous employers routinely confiscate such documents.

Officials also extort money from migrants by threatening deportation and arrest unless bribes are paid, with killings and beatings often going unreported, the 124-page report said.

HRW urged the Thai government to postpone the registration process and enforce labour protections for workers.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has so far bowed to domestic opinion by maintaining a tough stance on immigration, but he has insisted the government will use a rights-led approach.

Abhisit has failed to publicly revoke a series of provincial laws which restrict movement by migrants, banning them from travelling by motorcycle or using mobile phones and laying down curfews.

Thailand, which is seeking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, has been heavily criticised in recent months for its crackdowns on migrants from neighbouring Laos and Myanmar.

In December Bangkok sparked outrage when it defied global criticism and used troops to repatriate about 4,500 ethnic Hmong from camps on the border with communist Laos, including 158 recognised as refugees by the United Nations.

Earlier last year hundreds of ethnic Rohingya migrants from Myanmar were rescued in Indian and Indonesian waters after being pushed out to sea in rickety boats by the Thai military.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-02-23

Published with written approval from AFP.

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[gemini81]

BTW I'm very glad I have 3 'alien workers' and they have the right docs, 15 and 16 year old Burmese sisters who 'live in' and a more experienced Burmese caretaker for old mum 2 mornings/week, without them life would be impossible here because in the past 'non-aliens' proved us enough they work like sh*t and are totally unreliable and unmotivated...

you have 15 and 16 year old live in Burmese female "workers?" and they live in? I see why you're worried!

[ManilaLover]

BTW I'm very glad I have 3 'alien workers' and they have the right docs, 15 and 16 year old Burmese sisters who 'live in' and a more experienced Burmese caretaker for old mum 2 mornings/week, without them life would be impossible here because in the past 'non-aliens' proved us enough they work like sh*t and are totally unreliable and unmotivated...

you have 15 and 16 year old live in Burmese female "workers?" and they live in? I see why you're worried!

Worried ?? Seems I'm missing something here.

With the word 'workers' here don't think of sweatshops, sexworkers or filthy factories. They are very happy here and making money for their new school year. We take care them very well, support where we can so no reason to worry, also my Philippine girlfriend is crazy with them ;-)

[ding]

When will the world wake-up and start to handle Thais such as the Thais handle them.

The newsflash of last year about some hundred of Thais stuck in Sweden at the blueberry harvest because the harvest was very poor and they had no money to return to Thailand springs in memory.

Don't look for that in America. America gives preference to illegals and aliens. Thailand goes too far, however, unless they really don't like money. Then they're on the right track.

[silentnine]

"If you come forward and submit the applications now, you will have the right to live and work in Thailand,"

so if i as a farang come forward and say i'm working and living here then i will have the RIGHT to live and work in thailand..

what a load of tosh. they should be more precise and say they are only talking about persons from other ajoining asian countries and they wish to continue to discrimate against farangs .

burmese worker is rice feild. 'hey now you can live and work here legally'

farang worker in office "deportation"

[Naam]

I have to say that i find the use of words like 'alien" and 'farang' to be very dehumanizing. (Not only in Thailand but the world over.)As if these groups are less than people.

Guess this is not more then expectable in a culture who generally think they are better than the rest of the world ? (not to mention the truth which is slightly different)

Why you think I lost all respect for 99%... (and prepare to leave end of the year, finally)

no need for ignorants to peck on Thailand. the expression "alien" is used in most countries (including the United States) where authorities use english as first or second language.

quote:"In U.S. law, an alien is "any person not a citizen or national of the United States." The U.S. Government's use of alien dates back to 1798, ..."

[Richard W]

Alien is simply a translation of the thai term Dang Dao, which is fairly common in usage and doesn't seem to offend people as much as the thin skinned PC types.

Well, I for one first think of 'alien' as meaning 'tang dao' rather than meaning 'tang dao'. 'Alien' for 'foreigner' is alien to me.

[Mosha]

If they kick out all the illegal Burmese in Ranong, the place will grind to a halt. Who do they think will do the work, Thais? In my wife's words. "They (Thais) are too lazy."

[churchill]

"BANGKOK — Speaking outside an International Labor Organisation (ILO) / Ministry of Labour meeting in Bangkok on Tuesday, Labour Minister Phaithoon Kaethong said that the Feb. 28 deadline for migrant workers to apply for the controversial Nationality Verification (NV) program stands.

However, confusion about the deadline was exacerbated later in the day when M Thanit Numnoy, the director of Thailand’s Alien Workers Management Committee, said that the deadline for submitting nationality verification (NV) forms had been extended to March 31. "

more http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=17872

[samran]

"If you come forward and submit the applications now, you will have the right to live and work in Thailand,"

so if i as a farang come forward and say i'm working and living here then i will have the RIGHT to live and work in thailand..

what a load of tosh. they should be more precise and say they are only talking about persons from other ajoining asian countries and they wish to continue to discrimate against farangs .

burmese worker is rice feild. 'hey now you can live and work here legally'

farang worker in office "deportation"

I take it you've never heard of the EU, EEA, NAFTA, the US-Australia FTA and the Australian-NZ Closer Economic Relationship which all give people of these nationalities easier access to work permits for signatories to the agreement.