Extortion And Confusion Mar Thailand's Migrant Crackdown

[webfact]

Extortion and confusion mar Thailand's migrant crackdown

by Kelly Macnamara

MAHACHAI (AFP) -- Oo's troubles with the local Thai police began with a request common across Asia -- he asked them to remove their shoes before entering his room.

It cost him nearly a month's wages.

The proud 26-year-old Myanmar migrant said the officers in Mahachai, an industrial area near Bangkok, asked him if he wanted to "make trouble".

Oo claims he was falsely accused of illegal lending and threatened with deportation -- despite having documents proving his legal status -- until he handed over 4,000 baht (128 dollars), around 20 day's pay.

Thailand has intensified its crackdown on unregistered migrants as part of attempts to legalise its huge population of overseas workers.

But rights groups are concerned that many people are swept up in the process despite having official documents, while there are fears that some police are using the operation to step up extortion.

Andy Hall, consultant to the Human Rights and Development Foundation, said police were extracting money from vulnerable migrants with "complete impunity".

"I think that the fact they're doing this so systematically all across Thailand shows just how much a culture of seeing the migrants as second class and as almost subhuman has now become entrenched," he said.

The government recently told authorities to step up efforts to identify illegal migrants, following a February 2010 deadline to apply for the National Verification scheme aimed at normalising foreign workers' status.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said authorities were keen to persuade migrants to join the system "so they can be protected", but he added the government was aware of police extortion in some areas.

"If officers are committing fraud and are reported we will prosecute those officers... but the problem is many of (the migrants) don't come forward," he said.

Figures from the Mahachai police show a surge to more than 400 arrests in August, up from around 80 in March. But Hall said the real numbers are likely to be in the thousands as arrested migrants with money pay to be released.

The total number of migrants from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia could exceed two million, when an estimated one million unregistered workers are taken into account.

Hall stresses those from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, are not fleeing conflict. Rather they have left behind an economy "in ruins" and many send money home from Thailand.

"Maybe the conditions are better than in Burma, but they are caught between two hells," he said.

One Samut Sakhon employer, who refused to be named, said authorities had arrested over 200 people in a single day without checking their papers.

The workers were taken to Bangkok, forcing employers to send documents to the capital to free them.

"In some factories 30 out of 40 workers were arrested, so they can't run their businesses at all. Can you imagine how much we lose for not working for a few days? The police don't seem to care," she said.

Phyu Pwint Oo, a shy 19-year-old from southern Myanmar, described being caught up in a round-up as she returned home from her job in a Mahachai seafood factory.

She said it was only when she found herself in a cell in Bangkok with 50 other women that she realised she had been arrested by immigration forces.

"They gave me three meals a day, but I didn't have a chance to take a shower and could not change my clothes for six days," she told AFP a day after her employer secured her release.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, said the arrival of central immigration forces in an area meant "all bets are off", with any deals between local police, employers and workers effectively cancelled.

But he said ordinarily the migrants were an "easy target" for local police, who arrest more than their quota and then release those with money for bribes.

Mahachai police commander Colonel Pongsak Chunak denied that there was any corruption in his force. "There have been no complaints about extortion in the area under my command," he said.

The subject remains taboo in a country where even businesses fear the police.

"The truth is there but I cannot say anything, it could be dangerous for my life," the Samut Sakhon employer said when questioned on corruption.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-09-07

[Hawk]

"The truth is there but I cannot say anything' date=' it could be dangerous for my life," the Samut Sakhon employer said when questioned on corruption.[/quote']

Its a strange fact, that those who make accusations against the police suddenly become extremely accident prone.

[sirchai]

"The truth is there but I cannot say anything' date=' it could be dangerous for my life," the Samut Sakhon employer said when questioned on corruption.[/quote']

Its a strange fact, that those who make accusations against the police suddenly become extremely accident prone.

Strange that human beings aren't better protected. Another weird truth about Thailand is that they do employ people from Burma, Laos or Cambodia plus a work permit, but they always forget that so many Thais don't have a job.

Happens in Europe, and elsewhere. Cops should have less power in Thailand as it is in more civilized countries. :jap:

[Doc50]

Sad state of affairs.

Officers of the law preying on those without a voice.

To common in Thailand.

Extorting money from those trying to have a better life.

Does not make me wonder why the police are universally despised here.

They deserve it.

Doc

[slapout]

The pathetic part is the heads of the departments, province, etc, with a straight face, say they have heard no complaints orcharges of wrongdoing, against their subordinates.

It is too bad the Thai people will not forget the political nonsense for a while, band together, and pound the sh.t out of the police force in its entirety. Those innocent of wrong doing, that are injured, can be declared collateral damage and treated like innocents have been treated by said police. If this takes place a couple three times, it could set the standard as to what is to come to others, with like habits/practices, and Thailand would make a gigantic step toward cutting corruption.

[Colabamumbai]

Extorsion and confusion mar everything in Thailand.

[overhaul38]

Oo really has to learn to pick his battles and only fight when you have a CHANCE of winning

and, very importantly, learn the ground rules of the situation he is in. He is an immigrant and does not enjoy the SLIGHTadvantage a100% Thai has when dealing with the bribe seeking police. To demand the police take their

shoes off before entering his home certainly fits in the "don't fight" category.

Edited September 7, 2010 by overhaul38

[asiawatcher]

Having recently been pulled over in our van with our maids (Burmese) and children and driver whist travelling back from Nakhon Si Thammarat, the first thing to police went for were the maids. They had no reason for pulling us over - van was new, driver was Thai but on peering through the windscreen, ah.. a farang... Usually easy money. Fortunately both maids had their papers (I have never seen them) and we quickly resolved some 'issues' but they would not let up until they had checked my passport and work permit.

It is not entirely the Burmese they pick on but it is a rude reminder "Khorn Thai" rules. We will always only ever be a guest in Thailand and as long as the BiB have anything to do with it, anyone other than Thai's will always be a target.

[bina]

pretty much the same situation here, only in revers. here it sthe thai and filipino workers getting caught and put in jail, waiting for their embassies to sponsor their ticket home.. the latest fad hre is thais declaring that if they go back to thailand they will get killed (for debt, not for religious or political causes), so they are applying to the UN , thereby getting a three to six month visa to stay in israel WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK... then they work illegally, get caught,etc........friend of mine is translator for the thais here, and she is now being kept busy doing interviews for the UN...

here we get pulled over often for anon to have to show his id card as legal resident here... but many times i have visa-less thais in the car also... and since their employers keep their passports, they dont have any id at all (which in itself is illegal here)...

here i have also heard stories (first hand) of bribes and police and envelopes changing hands... a friend of ours is among 20 guys that are illegals who havent received their wages (way below minimum) but when they complained, police came out, envelopes changed hands, and the guys werent jailed (the employer needs them) but they didnt get their back wages either...

so not just thailand...just a comparison

bina

israel

[EODghost]

same same but different