Migrant Worker Policy Amounts To Deportation: Thai Editorial

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EDITORIAL

Migrant worker policy amounts to deportation

The Nation

This country's economic success is built on the backs of labourers from neighbouring countries; it's time we started treating them with respect

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Labour is drafting legislation that will allow pregnant migrant women to return to their country of origin from the time when they are three to four months pregnant. After giving birth, they will be able to come back to Thailand to start working again. The idea, according to the government, is to prevent the trafficking of children. The policy was enacted following the recent release of the US State Department's 2012 "Trafficking in Persons" report, which has again placed Thailand on the watch list of Tier 2.

The ministry may say it has the best interests of migrant women in mind, but in real terms this is nothing less than deportation. It could also mean forced abortions, given the economic reality of these migrant workers from neighbouring countries, who are employed here only because their labour costs Thai companies less than employing Thai workers.

The official explanation is that by refusing migrant workers the opportunity to give birth in this country, it will bring down the use of child migrant workers. This is absurd.

The migrant workers have reason to be concerned. Beside the fact that many have their families here in Thailand already, they should also be worried about not having the money to pay the traffickers and other bloodsuckers who organise their journeys to Thailand. They should also be worried that they will not be able to bring their new child back here with them.

It would not be a big surprise, given the circumstances, if many women in this position opted for abortion. There are obvious risks involved in such a decision. Too often we read about how abortions performed by quacks in backstreet clinics end in either the injury or death of the woman.

According to the Public Health Ministry, nearly 10,000 women die each year from infections caused after unsafe abortions. But instead of supporting safe services to end unplanned pregnancies, we still live with the fact that our official policy pushes many women to their death.

Perhaps we are asking too much from our policy-makers. If they can easily turn a blind eye to unsafe abortions, why should they even care about the predicament of pregnant migrant women?

It should be noted that Thailand's reputation regarding treatment of migrant workers is not good. To call them second-class citizens is a gross understatement. Moreover, how this new policy will improve Thailand's poor record in the area of human trafficking is still not known.

This year's US State Department report on trafficking places Thailand once again in Tier 2. If there is no real improvement soon, we could drop to Tier 3, which would subject the country to a number of boycotts by the United States.

But instead of going after the bloodsucking traffickers and the police and immigration officials who cooperate with them, our government thinks it better to take it out on the migrant workers.

Perhaps if our Labour Ministry could put on a human face, it would reconsider this plan. But if the recent past is any indication, regardless of political parties, such a heartless and short-sighted policy will certainly go ahead regardless.

Why? Because we do not see migrant workers as people who deserve to be treated with respect. We see them as machines that are expendable, and we believe that the supply of these workers will continue forever. And to criminalise them and subject them to absurd rules and regulations is easier than a more thoughtful policy that takes into consideration certain values such as compassion, justice and equality.

The quality of a society should not be measured by its material wealth and economic might (which, by the way, is made possible by migrant workers), but by a sense of fairness and a sense of justice.

Our leaders often talk about how the countries of Southeast Asia are uniting to become one integrated economic region. But in order to achieve this ideal oneness, we have be equal in the eyes of each other. At the human level is where it counts, not on some negotiated text sanctioned by Asean government officials and diplomats who are unable to consider people's real lives when they make their policy decisions.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

[rkidlad]

Treat everyone with respect. Stop educating Thais that they're better than everyone else.

A lot of Thai students go abroad and soon realise how insignificant in the grand scheme of the things we all really are.

[noitom]

The migrant worker policy to deport pregnant women to give birth so they don't give birth on Thai soil is racist. It is an effort to enforce racial cleansing and purification. It is a sham. In no way does it address the core issues of human trafficking. It is merely a lame attempt to avoid having these foreign workers' children born on Thai soil and entitled to Thai citizenship. It is merely and crystal clear a racial purification effort. Shame on Thailand. They should be hauled before the world court.

On one hand, they welcome these folks as cheap labor to line their pockets and then deny them even the simplest dignity of giving birth to any children while they are on the same Thai soil that they gave their blood and sweat for for meager, substandard and illegal wages.

The root of the problem of human trafficking in immigrant and illegal workers are the Thai networks and profiteers. When we see some of them hauled off in handcuffs and paraded in front of police cameras for photo ops, then we can take Thailand's migrant worker policy seriously. The traffickers hauled off in cuffs should be held accountable and made to "give up" Mr. Bigs that actually run and fund the networks.

Human trafficking is not about racial purification programs and policies. It is about breaking down the profiteers and the business. It is about getting Mr. Bigs into jail and cutting their sources of money. It is about fair and equitable treatment of humans and reasonable standards of work and pay and rights. The Thai policy being [proposed on this deportation of pregnant women is a deplorable disregard for human rights and clearly racial cleansing.

[Fozfromoz]

The ongoing treatment of migrant workers is one thing, and the Human trafficking, whilst aligned is another. Yes the law needs to track down and punish the people who run this, (chances are)?? and also break down this cultural division (I am higher up the tree than you). That class division is not restricted to Thailand. Bottom line is, get out of this stupid bloody mentality that i am better than you. I am HISO and you are the cleaning lady so i don't even say hello.

Mistreatment of foreign workers should be dealt with, and not put in the too hard basket. Human beings with rights and all that.

As I posted non a similar subject, Singapore which on the surface, appears to be an advanced country, employs large numbers of foreign workers. Females are largely employed as maids. The source is mainly the Philippines and Indonesia.

A recent story stated that 100 maids are sent home (deported) every Year because they fall pregnant, and many more have abortions to avoid this. A current debate is occurring to decide if they should actually have a day off!

Singapore would i am sure see a foreigner with a child as a burden on its society.

Thing is, if all the maids went home, then the locals would have to get off their backsides and run the broom themselves. There is talk of maids now going to Hong Kong in preference as they are treated better and paid more.

Racism is everywhere, some places visible, and some under the surface. Those here with Thai partners/ wives would i am sure see this at Passport control in Singapore.

My rant for the day.

[AngryParent]

This country's economic success is built on the backs of labourers from neighbouring countries; it's time we started treating them with respect

I have worked as a teacher teaching thousands of Thai kids for close to a decade in Thailand. I have a Thai wife and children.

I am really burnt out with all the racism shown by the Thais. When I have bent over backwards to help this country and its people, all I get in return is ZERO stabiltiy and security in this country and bucket loads of hate, double standards and a LACK OF feeling welcome.

I read every few days about the government wanting to CRACK DOWN on foreigners like myself. And what is this crackdown for, foreigners being murderers, thieves, crooks? NO! It has nothing do with such. It is a crackdown against foreigners breathing and living in Thailand - NOTHING MORE.

Then I read about Thais murdering foreigners and cover-ups regarding the investigations (where it appears that the Thai authorities sanction/blindly approve such crimes against foreigners). What is this?

What is the crime of the West against Thailand? Some BS 1800's deal gone wrong or some BS the West did not bail out Thailand in the last "depression"? Wake up - hundreds of years have past! Your elephant memory is so tainted that you cannot see decades of goodness.

All this is stupid and the Thais are living in the past regarding this. Let me turn this around, what the F has Thailand done for ANY OTHERS? But they hold grudges against almost every country and its citizens! All its infrastructure comes from outsiders, and the sum of all its scientific and linguistic knowledge comes from others like myself that teach Thailand.

Deportation, 90 days, work permits, blue books, cannot own land (even if you have Thai citizens as your wife and children) etc. The Nazis had the same system - the same colour coded system, the same militarization of the government sector with foreigners demonized.

Take any sample of foreigners in Thailand today, and WE are not the abusers of Thais - we are building this country!

I have given the best years of my life to Thailand and its people, all I have in return is news such as this and the insecurity that tomorrow this family with Thai citizens in it might have to be deported or leave because we are not welcome! Disgusting in 2012!

Edited June 30, 2012 by AngryParent

[AngryParent]

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Labour is drafting legislation that will allow pregnant migrant women to return to their country of origin from the time when they are three to four months pregnant. After giving birth, they will be able to come back to Thailand to start working again.

I love it how these racists make it look like Thailand is so generous!

At least Japan and S. Korea have laws that make such illegal even if they may have certain grudges with foreigners. Thailand has no such protection and makes it hunting season against foreigners. The West is not such - we accept that individual bias is there but when it comes down to reality it is illegal to do such in the west.