Must stamp out illegal migrant camps, says Phuket V/Gov
Phuket Gazette


The vice governor said officials are struggling to determine which camps have been officially approved and which ones need to be torn down. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Local officials must prevent illegal migrant camps from popping up along construction sites throughout the province, Phuket Vice Governor Prajiad Aksornthammakul said on Tuesday.

“Foreign workers build their shacks in and around local communities. They live in unhygienic conditions that spread disease, and indulge in the illegal trade of vegetables, fish and drugs,” said Vice Governor Prajiad Aksornthammakul.

The vice governor's concerns arise in the wake of efforts last year by then-Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to improve the quality of life for migrant workers on the island.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Must-stamp-illegal-migrant-camps-says-Phuket/63736?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-04-22

I have been in on-site housing (I guess that would be "legal") on construction sites in Bangkok.

It was pretty much as K Prajiad described the "illegal" camps.

Same-same.

At the risk of being called bigoted, I would like to see a lot more supervision over the location and health standards of these camps.

There are several building projects in my area, and camps have "popped up" seemingly all over.

Roadside rubbish dumping has increased enormously since their arrivals, as has noise from their old, often muffler-less bikes, their chickens, and frequent drinking (screaming) parties. Their chickens roam free and, in this dry time, quickly reduce green areas to dust bowls. We have some concerns about a soil bank that helps support our wall. It has been scratched down to sand.

What is annoying is that often they don't move on when a project is finished, but settle in for the long term.

There is nothing bigoted about it....we see plenty of makeshift "cardboard and plastic tarp" housing around, and the attendant garbage etc etc etc.

And it is not farangs living there.

All the above comments are true. But I would like to say that I know quite a few "foreign workers" who if they were not paying back handers to many up the food chain would have extra money to fix some of the above problems

We have the exact same problem in the UK! We call them Pikeys.

We have the exact same problem in the UK! We call them Pikeys.

Hardly the same thing. These are not traveling people these are workers - who without, the Thai economy would collapse . Do you really think they would be allowed to stay here if they weren't useful ?