A Thai activist group is preparing a petition calling for a law that would require pregnant migrant workers to return to their home countries to give birth. The Thai Mai Thon group hopes to collect at least 100,000 Thai signatures before submitting its demand to the Labour Ministry and Senate. The group says it announced the launch through its Thai Mai Thon page and the Facebook page of its leader, Akkarawut Buranaphan, known as Tae Achiwa. This political campaign highlights growing scrutiny of migrant-worker welfare, family dependants and public services - issues that could eventually affect employers and foreign families if policy proposals advance. Petition targets births and family dependants Akkarawut said the signatures would accompany a letter asking the Labour Ministry to act, while the Senate would be asked to send the issue to its labour committee and invite the labour minister for discussions. He argued that Thailand needs workers but should not accept accompanying dependants as a burden. He also called for the removal of rules allowing migrant workers to bring family members to live in Thailand. Akkarawut cited Singapore, Taiwan and Israel as countries which, he said, send Thai workers home if they become pregnant and admit workers without their families. He claimed migrant workers may seek to settle in Thailand and that births here create economic and security concerns. Education and healthcare rights criticised The Economic Party is separately campaigning for the government to review or repeal a Cabinet resolution of 5 July 2005. That resolution allows all children in Thailand, including those without household-registration documents or Thai nationality, to enter education at every level with state per-head funding equal to Thai children. Children born in Thailand without Thai nationality can access 15 years of basic education, from kindergarten to upper secondary school or an equivalent course. The reported state subsidy, including teaching, books, equipment, uniforms and activities, ranges from about 10,000 to 50,000 baht per child annually, depending on the level. The party puts the number of such children in the education system at around 150,000 to 200,000, with annual education spending estimated at 2-3 billion baht. Tassanan Sirilertmekasakul, the Economic Party's deputy spokesperson, said the party would seek a separate accounting of migrant children's education costs from the overall 20-billion-baht annual education budget cited in the report. Social Security benefits cited in debate The party said Section 33 Social Security members who have contributed for at least 12 months can receive 1,000 baht a month per child from birth until age six, for up to three children. A fourth child can qualify once an older child has passed six. It also cites maternity payments of 15,000 baht per birth, with no limit on claims, and 50 per cent of wages for 90 days for female insured workers, up to two claims. Daily migrant wages were put at 337-400 baht, or roughly 9,000-12,000 baht monthly, with contributions of 600 baht a month. Picture courtesy of Manager Online Join the discussion? 18 July 2026
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