Migrants in Ranong to be zoned together to reduce crime

[webfact]

RANONG
Migrants to be zoned together to reduce crime
BOONLEUN PROMPRATHANKUL
THE NATION

RANONG: -- RANONG is being used as the project model for the zoning of migrant communities together in a bid to reduce crime and social problems as well as lead to a host of other benefits for Thailand and migrants.

Under the "Ranong Model" scheme which still was pending the government's nod and budget, the province eyed on setting zones for Myanmar worker shelters so it will also be easier to control and prepare the migrant database, said Ranong Governor Suriyan Kanjanasilp.

He said the migrant crime rate was low and the migrants were friendly to locals although four Myanmar workers who allegedly stabbed a schoolgirl to death recently had tarnished the migrants' image.

He said it was hoped the zoning would also sustainably solve problems such as illegal employment, disease control issues, drug abuse and garbage disposal.

Suriyan said there were about 70,000 Myanmar migrants working and living in the province.

A survey found that the three tambons with largest number of migrants were Khao Niwet, Bang Rin and Pak Nam. Some 26,700 migrants live in other areas like Tambon Ngao and Tambon Bang Non.

The new zones would comprise two communities - 334 rai (53 hectares) for the Phae Mai community in Tambon Bang Rin and 588 rai for the Pak Khlong community in Tambon Pak Nam. Both areas are in Muang district.

The Interior Ministry is using Ranong as a project model for the 22 provinces with a high number of migrant workers.

Suriyan said the zoning scheme would benefit national security, reduce the number of illegal labourers, improve migrant workers' quality of life and group workers together for better control.

The governor said scheme would also bolster the Thai-Myanmar relationship as more collaborations would stem from it while creating new cultural tourist attractions for the migrant community in Thailand.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Migrants-to-be-zoned-together-to-reduce-crime-30272296.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-05

[borisloosebrain]

'Benefit national security , disease control ' give me a break !

[NongKhaiKid]

Armed guards, razor wire, watchtowers etc. ?

Edited November 4, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[Gutenberg]

It is time to send some immigration officers as consultants to Germany.

[anotheruser]

What those camps need is a branch of the Hitler fried chicken place.

[JAG]

I believe the technical term is concentration camps.

[arfurcrown]

Good to see that the Thai's are looking at world history and taking in the lessons.

Ghetto construction as was done in Germany in the past century and of course there are wonderful current lessons to be had from the Palestinian Israeli set up too in ethnic persons movement control and zoning issues.

[pookiki]

Based on 2014 population figures, there were approximately 177,000 Thais in Ranong Province. When you include the migrant workers (70,000), the figure is 247,000 and the Burmese migrants represent about 30% of the total population in the province. And the migrant worker figure is probably understated because likely it doesn't include undocumented workers or children. When will Thailand recognize the significant contribution that migrant workers make to Thailand's economy? They come and do the 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous, and degrading) and are exploited and largely reviled in the communities in which they live. No coverage for injuries, disabilities or death as a result of work related causes and children cannot attend Thai schools. Of course, migrant workers from Cambodia and Loas face the same situation. The AEC will greatly change the rights and entitlements if migrant workers. Thailand should be looking at ways in which to make migrant workers' lives easier and assist them in an integration into Thai society. I know, a pipedream.

[madmitch]

So, more dangerous truckloads of standing Burmese as they won't be staying on the building sites.

[steven100]

Thailand needs to control the influx of illegal migrants and if setting up camps does the job then so be it. They can always go to Germany if they don't like it .....

[Jimbo2014]

So by isolating them from thai mafia and police crime should be significantly reduced. Like it!

[Thian]

So, more dangerous truckloads of standing Burmese as they won't be staying on the building sites.

In our moobaan the myanmar construction workers were allowed to walk through the main-entrance to their work.

Then some horrible crimes were commited by them and since then they got their own entrance plus we got much more security.

That lasted for some weeks and then everything became like it was before.

Last week i almost got hit off my motobike, a very long ladder came out of a sidestreet while to workers were sitting on a motobike with that thing on their neck.

[JAG]

Thailand needs to control the influx of illegal migrants and if setting up camps does the job then so be it. They can always go to Germany if they don't like it .....

I expect in another era and continent you would have said much the same about the establishment of certain other "camps"!

[chrisinth]

Zoning as opposed to integration into communities?

Sounds like a winner to me................

It will be interesting to see how they propose to move 70,000 people into one area and more importantly, the long term effects of doing so.

IMO, it will solve nothing and have the opposite effect to stabilization or control. Instant ghettos.

Edited November 5, 2015 by chrisinth

[DM07]

Ghetto, anyone?!

[FangFerang]

Um, the province isn't tiny. How will the migrants who work 80 km away get to work? OH!

Motorcycle taxis, of course!

And for those of you who need help adding two and two together....

All foreign workers, including farang teachers, have their work permits and visas tied to their specific job because....Thais love abusing foreign workers and do not want them changing jobs either easily, or sometimes at all. In many cases, a letter is required to cancel your work permit (meaning if they rip you off you have to leave on good terms)...

Human trafficking is a way of life here. Who on earth from Burma could afford to change jobs here?

None of them.

Edited November 5, 2015 by FangFerang

[Enoon]

Thailand needs to control the influx of illegal migrants and if setting up camps does the job then so be it. They can always go to Germany if they don't like it .....

Yes it's a great idea, but it doesn't go far enough.

It would be much better to compel all long-stay foreign nationals (people from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Russia - everyone) to live in special zones. Then they could check them out of their zones everyday and assign "watchers" to tail them or maybe match them up with a loyal (to the regime)Thai who would be their "buddy" and report on their movements and activities to the "Central Register of Foreigners".

Wouldn't that make it much easier to weed out the overstayers, illegal workers and all the other "undesirables"?

Much better than letting them live wherever they like. That's just asking for trouble.

If that's what it takes "then so be it". "They can always go" back to their own countries "if they don't like it".

Edited November 5, 2015 by Enoon

[z42]

4 of them stabbed a local Thai girl and tarnished the image of the entire migrant community. So they have been found guilty in a fair and transparent trial then I take it.......

[lilyblue]

I believe western farangd have already organised themselves into zones pattaya for the child bride/bar drinking types, patong phuket for the Russian mafia/drunk Aussies etc/ samui for the retirees, koh phangnan for the under 30's and psychedelic mushroom lovers and chaing mai and pai for the hippies/issan bar girl lovers/lesbians and bloggers .

Of course pesky farangs keep scuttling about so they can be found anywhere an issan bar girl works...