Thailand Threatens To Deport 1 Million Illegal Migrant Workers

[webfact]

Thailand Threatens to Deport 1 Million Illegal Migrant Workers

Daniel Schearf

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Thailand is threatening to deport more than a million migrant workers, most of them from Burma, if they do not complete required documentation by a December 14 deadline. Rights groups say the nationality verification process, while aimed at providing legal protection, is being exploited by corrupt officials, brokers and employers to further abuse vulnerable migrants.

Thai authorities in charge of regulating migrant labor had pushed back previous deadlines for foreign workers to become documented.

The employment department at the Ministry of Labor, however, is standing firm on a Friday deadline that, if enforced, could see one million or more migrants facing deportation.

Economic factors

Jackie Pollock directs the Thailand-based Migrant Assistance Program. She said that Thailand raising the nation's minimum wage to about $10 a day beginning in January likely is hardening authorities' attitudes.

Full story: http://www.voanews.c...rs/1564239.html

-- Voice of America 2012-12-14

[webfact]

Govt urged to extend deadline for alien workers

The Nation

Chamber of commerce warns exports will be hit due to labour shortage

BANGKOK: -- If the deadline for verification of alien workers' nationality is not extended from today, several labour-intensive industries in Thailand such as fisheries or construction are likely to be hurt.

In the face of severe labour shortages at home, these industries have long relied heavily on alien workers.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce yesterday called on the authorities to extend the deadline for nationality verification.

"Otherwise, the country's export and economic growth will be adversely affected," chamber vice president Phumin Harinsut said. Fisheries and related industries generate Bt150 billion income from exports each year.

The government has yet to respond to the chamber's request. Initially, authorities had planned to deport all registered workers whose nationality had not been verified by the deadline, today, along with unregistered workers whose number is estimated at between 500,000 and 800,000.

According to the Employment Department, as many as 356,351 alien workers have registered themselves - but their nationality verification was still pending as of November 23. Only 530,156 have already had their nationality verified.

Myanmar people are the biggest group of alien workers in Thailand. More than 565,000 have registered with Thai authorities. Also registered are 222,430 Cambodians and 99,019 Laotians.

"Thai workers don't want to work in the food and fishery sectors because they are wet and smelly places. Employers in the sectors thus need alien workers," TCC executive Poj Aramwatthananont explained.

He said the food/fishery manufacturing sector could falter if authorities were to force out so many alien workers when employers could not find replacements.

"Manufacturing will be disrupted and customers won't get delivery of their products as scheduled. That will hurt not just entrepreneurs but also the country's economy as a whole," he said.

He said disruption of manufacturing in the food industry would deal a big blow to the country's agricultural sector, too, as factories would refuse to buy fresh crops during the harvest season.

Atip Bijanonda, who sits on the chamber board, said Thai construction firms also needed alien workers to push their business ahead.

"If a [large] number of alien workers suddenly disappears from the market, many major constructors will very likely refuse to take on more projects next year because they would be concerned about the risk of not being able to submit construction work on time," he said.

Phumin said the government should extend the deadline for nationality verification.

He also suggested the government allow the registration of more alien workers. He added that a joint panel with representatives from both the government and private sectors should be set up to find sustainable solutions to the country's labour shortage.

Phumin said if the government did not prepare good measures and still insisted on deporting hundreds of thousands of alien workers, the goal of raising the country's export growth by five per cent next year would be far-fetched.

-- The Nation 2012-12-14

[siampolee]

Fine idea, however have these idiots actually thought about who will take the positions vacated by the deported workers? A wonderful example of xenophobia and racism shown by authorities.There's a labour shortage so let's remove a large chunk of the workforce so as industry becomes entirely non competitive in the worlds market place.

Cynic that I am , I am led to wonder whether or not those in the seat of power are trying to create a slump so as to be able to acquire companies at a knockdown price. Given the deceit and corruption that abounds and flourishes in the current maladministration here it would of course be the ideal master plan designed to enrich a few select families..

[lemoncake]

Fine idea, however have these idiots actually thought about who will take the positions vacated by the deported workers? A wonderful example of xenophobia and racism shown by authorities.There's a labour shortage so let's remove a large chunk of the workforce so as industry becomes entirely non competitive in the worlds market place.

Cynic that I am , I am led to wonder whether or not those in the seat of power are trying to create a slump so as to be able to acquire companies at a knockdown price. Given the deceit and corruption that abounds and flourishes in the current maladministration here it would of course be the ideal master plan designed to enrich a few select families..

You may not be far off there.

Yes may be workers should be documented but considering that building sector pretty much entirely depends on them, perrhaps they should be sending people out to register workers.

Taking a day off cost migrants money, so even if they want to do it, at times it's not possible not to mention they are not best paid and traveling to the office to register is also costly.

Edited December 14, 2012 by lemoncake

[Soutpeel]

"Thai workers don't want to work in the food and fishery sectors because they are wet and smelly places"

This just about sums it up the mentality for me...and why is this ?....cos the I-phone may get wet or they are just adverse to hard work...?

[fareastguy]

The worm turns.. now who's got who by the "short-n-curlies"

Another fine mess Thailands got itself into

[Crushdepth]

Go right ahead and deport them. It'll do wonders for the economy...not.

[laurentbkk]

in a country where it is already very hard to find workers ...I dont think deporting those people will solve anything , it will be worse ... Not sure Thais are ready to take their places.

[Fozfromoz]

Who's going to do all the sh*t jobs now?

[saltandpepper]

Who's going to do all the sh*t jobs now?

I heard that Chalerm has already been designated to it, and he vowed to have it completed within 3 month

[OzMick]

Here's a novel idea - stop paying subsidies to farmers who can't make a living and might they start looking for a job.

[Naam]

why waste time discussing the usual proceeds politicians excrete?

[mania]

Uh-Oh does this mean even longer wait times at Immigration as they attempt to get "legal"

Edited December 14, 2012 by mania

[fabianfred]

These 'Burmese' workers are mostly not Burmese at all. Sure they are from Burma...but actually they are refugees from Shan state...driven here by the genocidal policies of their Government and the Burmese Army.

Thailand and the UN do not award them refugee status...unlike the karen!!??

Why? Perhaps the Thai government doesn't want to annoy its neigbour from which they get lumber and gas and other resources....... stolen by the Burmese Government from the Shan States after they have driven away the people....or just simply killed them.

Karen are mostly Christian and even Americans have heard of them....probably because of the movie Rambo IV.

Shan are Buddhist, but this doesn't cut them any slack from the Thai Government.

I suspect many HiSo Thais still bear a grudge against the Burmese for being ancient enemies.

Anyway, the Shan communities here in Thailand are like Tibetans....living in exile and trying to keep alive their National Language and culture. According to the Panglong agreement the Shan States should have been a seperate self-governed Country by now....but it was invaded and stolen...just as Tibet was.

All the orange plantations around the fang valley in the North of Chiangmai will rot if the migrant workers are driven back over the border back into hell.... and they are probably owned by rich BKK Thais ...perhaps this will cause the authorities to look the other way.

[DocN]

Don't you worry: nothing is gonna happen!

Some company needs to keep it's workers? Just have a brown envelope ready and hand it over to the person in charge...problem solved!

[zakk9]

The process to get the documents can take weeks and even months. Getting the identity approved in Myanmar is a time consuming process, and then there are the agents, as mentioned in the article, who also want their share of the cake. I met one of them at a border crossing, young men and girls queuing up at his office by the hundreds. According to a Burmese friend of mine, he is rather flexible with regards to method of payment, at least if you are a girl

[nev]

Here's a novel idea - stop paying subsidies to farmers who can't make a living and might they start looking for a job.

Is this post aimed at the farmers who employ the workers and put there ass on the line, or the workers they employ?

Are you implying the farmers are just taking a subsidy and sitting on there a**ses? the farm workers and farm bosses are some of the hardest working thai's i have met.

[webfact]

Thailand faces acute labour shortage; mass repatriation of migrant workers looms

By English News

BANGKOK, Dec 14 – Thailand faces an imminent acute labour shortage with more than one million migrant workers expected to be repatriated this weekend for failing to have completed nationality verification as required by the government, a senior member of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) said today.

TCC Deputy Chairman Pumin Harinsut said the mass repatriation will greatly affect the manufacturing industry, as well as the tourism and hospitality sectors, contributing to reduced possible exports next year by as much as 5 per cent.

Thailand requires migrant workers to pass a complex nationality verification procedure by the end of the day today, and those who fail to leave the country will be prosecuted.

Mr Pumin said the TCC is awaiting the government’s immediate response to deal with the problem now that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has acknowledged the issue.

The cabinet earlier announced that repatriated workers could be re-employed in accord with agreements made with the migrant workers home countries.

Pote Aramwatananont, a TCC officer, said the government has not consulted the private sector on the re-employment of migrant workers regarding agreements reflected in various memoranda of understanding and that the new procedure will merely facilitate the Labour Ministry procedures, not the private sector where the workers are to be employed.

He said the repatriation of migrant workers without privision of new workers will have a severe negative impact on Thailand’s industrial manufacturing. agricultural production, food processing, fisheries, and the construction sector – all of which rely heavily on migrant labour.

Damage to the construction industry alone may reach 20 per cent of the sector’s total value, he said.

The Labour Ministry reported that 356.351 migrant workers are awaiting nationality verification while others working illegally in Thailand could number 500,000-800,000 persons. They are mainly from Myanmar, the Lao PDR and Cambodia. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-14

[samran]

The process to get the documents can take weeks and even months. Getting the identity approved in Myanmar is a time consuming process, and then there are the agents, as mentioned in the article, who also want their share of the cake. I met one of them at a border crossing, young men and girls queuing up at his office by the hundreds. According to a Burmese friend of mine, he is rather flexible with regards to method of payment, at least if you are a girl

It isn't as onerous as everyone makes out. Yes for Burmese nationals they have to travel back to Myanamr to get their ID certified and be issued with passports - but the rest of the paperwork, by Thai standards, is pretty normal.

I've already done and extended our maids visa twice now. It isn't a hardship, nor particularly expensive.

[zakk9]

The process to get the documents can take weeks and even months. Getting the identity approved in Myanmar is a time consuming process, and then there are the agents, as mentioned in the article, who also want their share of the cake. I met one of them at a border crossing, young men and girls queuing up at his office by the hundreds. According to a Burmese friend of mine, he is rather flexible with regards to method of payment, at least if you are a girl

It isn't as onerous as everyone makes out. Yes for Burmese nationals they have to travel back to Myanamr to get their ID certified and be issued with passports - but the rest of the paperwork, by Thai standards, is pretty normal.

I've already done and extended our maids visa twice now. It isn't a hardship, nor particularly expensive.

That depends on the local authorities in Myanmar and, if an agent is used, the efficiency of the agent. There are huge differences. Many of the Burmese in Thailand came here when they were very young, or even children, which often means that they haven't had any valid identity documents in Myanmar before. I know from experience that this will slow down the process considerably.

[007]

I just wonder; who will build the fancy shopping malls and condo buildings in the future? And who will catch the fish in Thailand's waters - the Thais themselves?

I don't think so; they rather pick the easy jobs like motorbike boy or Mama noodle-soup seller.

Just another sign of xenophobic paranoia... When Thais have political or economical problems, first thing they do is kick out the foreigners.

Thailand needs foreign workers, so why don't the authorities streamline the process to make it easier to get legit?

Edited December 14, 2012 by 007

[samran]

The process to get the documents can take weeks and even months. Getting the identity approved in Myanmar is a time consuming process, and then there are the agents, as mentioned in the article, who also want their share of the cake. I met one of them at a border crossing, young men and girls queuing up at his office by the hundreds. According to a Burmese friend of mine, he is rather flexible with regards to method of payment, at least if you are a girl

It isn't as onerous as everyone makes out. Yes for Burmese nationals they have to travel back to Myanamr to get their ID certified and be issued with passports - but the rest of the paperwork, by Thai standards, is pretty normal.

I've already done and extended our maids visa twice now. It isn't a hardship, nor particularly expensive.

That depends on the local authorities in Myanmar and, if an agent is used, the efficiency of the agent. There are huge differences. Many of the Burmese in Thailand came here when they were very young, or even children, which often means that they haven't had any valid identity documents in Myanmar before. I know from experience that this will slow down the process considerably.

Sure it will slow it down....but that is what happens when you don't have the required documents. Not they are hard to get, my maid's daughter is Thai born, though a Myanmar national and has the requiste documents.

The Thai or Myanamar governments can't be blamed if they want to take extra time to confirm the bonafides of people claiming to be a certain nationality.

[samran]

I just wonder; who will build the fancy shopping malls and condo buildings in the future? And who will catch the fish in Thailand's waters - the Thais themselves?

I don't think so; they rather pick the easy jobs like motorbike boy or Mama noodle-soup seller.

Just another sign of xenophobic paranoia... When Thais have political or economical problems, first thing they do is kick out the foreigners.

Re-read about the programme.

It is actually a very good programme designed to give foreign workers full working rights in Thailand and be covered under the Thai hospital system.

The paperwork isn't onerous - but many people are still avoiding it....

[MaxLee]

If Thai factory labor businesses struggle, just blame it on the stupid Burmese and other alien workers...

[slapout]

I can not wait to hear the well thought plan for the removial/deportation of these 1 million individuals (numbers increasing every day)

Would this fall under the Ministry to transportation, the immigration, the Interior ministry or the police.?

[zakk9]

I just wonder; who will build the fancy shopping malls and condo buildings in the future? And who will catch the fish in Thailand's waters - the Thais themselves?

I don't think so; they rather pick the easy jobs like motorbike boy or Mama noodle-soup seller.

Just another sign of xenophobic paranoia... When Thais have political or economical problems, first thing they do is kick out the foreigners.

Re-read about the programme.

It is actually a very good programme designed to give foreign workers full working rights in Thailand and be covered under the Thai hospital system.

The paperwork isn't onerous - but many people are still avoiding it....

The program is good. The problem is the scam artists trying to make a buck out of it. Some of those in need of documents have very long, unpleasant journeys back to their home villages, which may take up to a day or two in each direction from the border crossing. That's one of the reasons why they use agents on the border, agents who are more interested in how much money they can make out of this than getting the correct documents to the applicants on time.

[zakk9]

I can not wait to hear the well thought plan for the removial/deportation of these 1 million individuals (numbers increasing every day)

Would this fall under the Ministry to transportation, the immigration, the Interior ministry or the police.?

It will be the military of course. They did successful test of how to transport unwanted elements in Tai Bak a few years ago...

[fabianfred]

The Burmese Army will be happy to take them back....they need more unpaid unfed porters and kids to force to become child-soldiers, women to rape, and kids to traffic...

Going back to their villages for papers is impossible for many....their villages were burnt out and mined.

many have nothing to prove their ethnicity apart from the language they speak.

Edited December 14, 2012 by fabianfred

[Halion]

This is a classic case of putting the horse before the cart. The onus with regard to registration should be on these Thai employers who should themselves be charged and prosecuted for hiring illegal workers

By law they are not allowed to hire anyone without valid documentation. The employers greed and apparent imunity is the cause , not the migrant workers. Thailand does need the labour . Thailand the Hub of Ass Backward Thinking

[Phronesis]

The closest metaphor I can conjure for the Thai economy is that of a 160kg intellectually retarded boy holding a golden butterfly by its wings...