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Thai Police Arrest Myanmar Woman for Reporting Labour Abuses at Poultry Farm

webfact

By webfact
in Thailand News

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webfact Grand Master Member

webfact

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Thai Police Arrest Myanmar Woman for Reporting Labour Abuses at Poultry Farm

LOP BURI -Myanmar Workers Rights Network (MWRN) has reported that a Burmese migrant worker was arrested in Lop Buri on Saturday for allegedly “stealing” her own work time-card.

Officials from the Myanmar Workers Rights Network said her employer, a poultry farm in the province, filed the charge against her after she showed her timecard to the Workers Rights network.

She was in contact with the network to discuss alleged workplace abuses, said the network. She claimed she worked from 7am to 5pm and then from 7pm to 5am, and was only allowed to take three days off after 35 consecutive days of work. In May, she was paid Bt4,082 after Bt4,894 was deducted from her salary by her employer.

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thai-police-arrest-myanmar-woman-for-reporting-labour-abuses-at-poultry-farm.html

crt.png
-- Chiang Rai Times 2016-06-29

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LostTourist Newbie

LostTourist

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Posted (edited)

It seems that the report of the USA releasing Thailand from the slave labor lists might have been a little to fast.

The USA has no right to criticize any country about slave labor.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-prison-industry-in-the-united-states-big-business-or-a-new-form-of-slavery/8289

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/07/23_cents_an_hour_the_perfectly_legal_slavery_happening_in_modern_day_america_partner/

http://www.alternet.org/story/151732/21st-century_slaves%3A_how_corporations_exploit_prison_labor

Edited by LostTourist
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Thechook Gold Member

Thechook

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Tarnishing Thailand's image is a serious offence even if the allegations are true. Those abusing the workers won't be investigated but the victims will be prosecuted with full force for speaking out.

The Junta has stated that it will be upgraded on the human trafficking list and this woman speaking out isn't going to impress the junta. I see many years in a Thai prison coming her way or she may just vanish like those before her.

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zakk9 Silver Member

zakk9

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is not the USA about to upgrade Thailand with respect to like conditions and if so does it demonstrate the USA only cares about it's perceived problem with China?

USA and other western countries only care if the products end up in those countries. Poultry is mostly for inland or regional consumption, so the problem doesn't really exist to them.

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Familyaffairs Rookie Member

Familyaffairs

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She illegally removed her time card, which is an internal document documenting time worked) and property of the employer. Nobody forced her to work there, and she should go back to Burma if she doesn't like it. My company's experience with Burmese workers is very bad, eventhough we paid them well in excess of the minimum salary, helped them with everything from WPs to insurance to mobile phone and internet registration, to lending them bikes permanently, getting driver licenses etc so I shed no tears. They also set up illegally businesses reserved for, and in competition with, Thais, don't register with the DBD, pay no tax and are pretty mouthy. Given that, and their historic transgressions that still live strongly among Thais, it is not surprising that there prevails a strong anti sentiment,

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gandalf12 Silver Member

gandalf12

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Must be very hard for Thai's to maintain their pride in whatever it is they have pride in when incidents such as this is being reported.

It is time for Thailand to come off cloud 9 and start sorting the problems out. Thailand is not, sorry to say it, the center of the universe nor will it ever be while people close their eyes to

reality and only see what they want to see.

If Thailand is serious about protecting its image it should get real about what its image is around the world and they wont find it to be anything like they want to believe it is.

Edited by gandalf12
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zakk9 Silver Member

zakk9

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She illegally removed her time card, which is an internal document documenting time worked) and property of the employer. Nobody forced her to work there, and she should go back to Burma if she doesn't like it. My company's experience with Burmese workers is very bad, eventhough we paid them well in excess of the minimum salary, helped them with everything from WPs to insurance to mobile phone and internet registration, to lending them bikes permanently, getting driver licenses etc so I shed no tears. They also set up illegally businesses reserved for, and in competition with, Thais, don't register with the DBD, pay no tax and are pretty mouthy. Given that, and their historic transgressions that still live strongly among Thais, it is not surprising that there prevails a strong anti sentiment,

So slave labour is ok then, if it's somebody you don't like or somebody related to somebody you don't like? bah.gifbah.gifbah.gif

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waldroj Newbie

waldroj

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Seems the local cops followed the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law in this case.

While it’s easy to be critical of the cops, one must assume that as the farm owner filed the charge, they probably had to act on it (regardless of how petty the allegation may appear to us).

post-209291-0-21114000-1467166067_thumb.

That said, it would also seem that the Myanmar Workers Rights Network have failed this worker badly – they should have been cognizant of the fact that taking the time-card could be construed as stealing, and instructed her accordingly.

In hind-sight, it’s unfortunate that she was not advised to use a phone to photograph the time-card (either her own, or one provided to her by MWRN if she did not possess one herself).

The full article also notes that "...She was released on Bt75,000 bail and transferred to MWRN’s office in Samut Sakhon province on Saturday, along with 13 other Myanmar nationals who reported abuses at the farm...". Bt75,000 bail for stealing a time-card!

So, whilst this woman may yet be convicted of theft, it also seems possible that there will be sufficient weight of evidence against the farm owner to successfully pursue him for compensation for the 14 workers.

The report is careful to note that the “stealing” of the work time-card, and the workplace abuses by the farm owner are both allegations.

The report also did not name of the farm at this time, but it did not that, “…Myanmar workers’ rights were the main focus of Aung San Suu Kyi … during her visit to Thailand last week…”. Be interesting to now see whether she will take an interest in the case.

Finally, should the workers’ claim for compensation be successful, one hopes the farm owner is named and shamed!

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jerojero Advanced Member

jerojero

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If half true, modern day slavery is alive and well in Thailand. Carry on Mr. PM with your concern over lottery tickets and alcohol sales near schools. Why tackle human rights if it interferes with Businesses!

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tuanku Rookie Member

tuanku

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She illegally removed her time card, which is an internal document documenting time worked) and property of the employer. Nobody forced her to work there, and she should go back to Burma if she doesn't like it. My company's experience with Burmese workers is very bad, eventhough we paid them well in excess of the minimum salary, helped them with everything from WPs to insurance to mobile phone and internet registration, to lending them bikes permanently, getting driver licenses etc so I shed no tears. They also set up illegally businesses reserved for, and in competition with, Thais, don't register with the DBD, pay no tax and are pretty mouthy. Given that, and their historic transgressions that still live strongly among Thais, it is not surprising that there prevails a strong anti sentiment,

Your post makes no sense at all.

If you do pay your workforce in excess of minimum wage, give them all those perks and treat them well with legal and reasonable working hours, why not employ Thais? If you have to resort to employing these people you seem to hate so much, there must be something wrong with the jobs you make them do! What are you hiding? Are you another abusive employer? looks like it from your post!

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Trouble Advanced Member

Trouble

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Posted

center for research on globalization is an anti-western organization which just puts out crap. Can't believe a word of what they say. They have their own agenda.

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RKASA Platinum Member

RKASA

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Posted

Seems the local cops followed the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law in this case.

While it’s easy to be critical of the cops, one must assume that as the farm owner filed the charge, they probably had to act on it (regardless of how petty the allegation may appear to us).

attachicon.giftime_thief.jpg

That said, it would also seem that the Myanmar Workers Rights Network have failed this worker badly – they should have been cognizant of the fact that taking the time-card could be construed as stealing, and instructed her accordingly.

In hind-sight, it’s unfortunate that she was not advised to use a phone to photograph the time-card (either her own, or one provided to her by MWRN if she did not possess one herself).

The full article also notes that "...She was released on Bt75,000 bail and transferred to MWRN’s office in Samut Sakhon province on Saturday, along with 13 other Myanmar nationals who reported abuses at the farm...". Bt75,000 bail for stealing a time-card!

So, whilst this woman may yet be convicted of theft, it also seems possible that there will be sufficient weight of evidence against the farm owner to successfully pursue him for compensation for the 14 workers.

The report is careful to note that the “stealing” of the work time-card, and the workplace abuses by the farm owner are both allegations.

The report also did not name of the farm at this time, but it did not that, “…Myanmar workers’ rights were the main focus of Aung San Suu Kyi … during her visit to Thailand last week…”. Be interesting to now see whether she will take an interest in the case.

Finally, should the workers’ claim for compensation be successful, one hopes the farm owner is named and shamed!

"use a phone to photograph the time-card" this is the reason if you look around you will see no photo signs posted everywhere. Mostly not enforced on the spot but providing the option to charge someone if they did that rather then take the card itself catch 22. An image of the card would have been the same result.

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z42 Advanced Member

z42

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She illegally removed her time card, which is an internal document documenting time worked) and property of the employer. Nobody forced her to work there, and she should go back to Burma if she doesn't like it. My company's experience with Burmese workers is very bad, eventhough we paid them well in excess of the minimum salary, helped them with everything from WPs to insurance to mobile phone and internet registration, to lending them bikes permanently, getting driver licenses etc so I shed no tears. They also set up illegally businesses reserved for, and in competition with, Thais, don't register with the DBD, pay no tax and are pretty mouthy. Given that, and their historic transgressions that still live strongly among Thais, it is not surprising that there prevails a strong anti sentiment,

Your post makes no sense at all.

If you do pay your workforce in excess of minimum wage, give them all those perks and treat them well with legal and reasonable working hours, why not employ Thais? If you have to resort to employing these people you seem to hate so much, there must be something wrong with the jobs you make them do! What are you hiding? Are you another abusive employer? looks like it from your post!

Family affairs it is pretty clear to anyone with a brain that without the evidence of said time card (showing clock ins and outs) that the labour abuses claimed would be simply waved away as untrue. At least now its in the media, and a workers' rights union have got hold of the case, she and her fellow workers are less likely to be railroaded into jail for such a bogus act as "stealing" a time card.

You must agree unequivocally that the employer in this case is grossly in the wrong, hence filing such petty charges themselves, due to being unable to file the obligatory defamation charges. I hope the Burmese workers get their freedom, and backdated wages, and that the employer gets a huge fine and other merited sanctions. Good day

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ggt Platinum Member

ggt

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Posted

Corrupt business practisioners...whether in private industry or government...do not take lightly being exposed to the public...

Whistle-blowers in the US are harassed by several government agencies...leaving their life in shambles...if they manage to avoid jail time...on bogus charges...

Hope she is not killed for her efforts....

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dominique355 Gold Member

dominique355

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Posted

Do you need a "right" to criticize slavery? I would believe facts is all it needs.

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