Thai govt seeks to improve lives of Thai women in Hong Kong

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Govt seeks to improve lives of Thai women in Hong Kong

  

BANGKOK, 29 August 2016 (NNT) - The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has launched a project to develop the quality of life of Thai women in Hong Kong. 

The ministry’s inspector, Samphan Suwannathap, and his entourage on Sunday traveled to Hong Kong to organize the project from 27-29 August 2016. He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had a policy to take care of Thai women in Thailand and other countries worldwide. The premier wanted Thai citizens living outside the country to love and help one another and build a positive reputation for Thailand, said the inspector. 

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were more than one million Thai people living in other countries in 2012. More than 27,000 Thai people are in Hong Kong, according to statistics of the Hong Kong Immigration Department. 

The problems of Thai women as well as a Thai community in Hong Kong include adjustment to their husband’s family, social and cultural differences, drug addiction and gambling.

 

-- nnt 2016-08-29

[Thechook]

So this all knowing leader thinks he knows what's best For those in interracial marriages abroad.  My wife has adjusted very well to my family as I have done with hers.  She has adapted to the aussie way with a large circle of friends that include thais, Vietnamese,  Italians and aussies.  She holds a good job as an accountant and doesn't a despot like Prayut interfering or trying to control her life abroad.  As she says if she wants to live under a regime she will move to Thailand.

[Andrew65]

54 minutes ago, Thechook said:

So this all knowing leader thinks he knows what's best For those in interracial marriages abroad.  My wife has adjusted very well to my family as I have done with hers.  She has adapted to the aussie way with a large circle of friends that include thais, Vietnamese,  Italians and aussies.  She holds a good job as an accountant and doesn't a despot like Prayut interfering or trying to control her life abroad.  As she says if she wants to live under a regime she will move to Thailand.

Yes, but there are many Thai/Asian women working as maids etc, who get appallingly bad treatment in Asia and the Middle East. Also, many of them are probably there on their own/unmarried.

 

They're probably trying to help these kinds of women.

[z42]

Well a good place to start would be to do some serious interrogation and find out just how many Thai women were sent there by ying Kai, I would be sure they'd appreciate some help more than most

[Rorri]

Mmmmm, seems the same problems they suffer in Thailand.

[digibum]

42 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

Yes, but there are many Thai/Asian women working as maids etc, who get appallingly bad treatment in Asia and the Middle East. Also, many of them are probably there on their own/unmarried.

 

They're probably trying to help these kinds of women.

 

Ironically, most Thai women living abroad need protection from other Thais.  Nine out of 10 Thai restaurants where I live are staffed entirely by Thais in the US on tourist or student visas.  Since most Thais can't speak English well enough to get better jobs, they end up working in Thai restaurants where they get paid under the table, have zero benefits, and are treated like the owner's personal slaves.  

 

My wife has the full 10 year green card and can work and also happens to be married to a husband who knows enough about labor laws that I've had to put the fear of gawd into a few business owners who tried to jerk her around.  Fortunately she's ended up at one of the one out of ten that do things right but I can't tell you how many times she's shown me text messages owners have sent to the staff saying things like if they work for a competing Thai restaurant they can be arrested and deported for stealing company secrets.  Or telling them that they aren't entitled to overtime pay because only US citizens get paid overtime.  

 

And then there are the scammers who prey on other Thais with multi-level marketing scams, investment scams, horrific business deals, and even trying to convert them to Christianity.  The second any Thai wants to separate me and my wife, 99.999% of the time they're up to no good.  

 

 

[gandalf12]

Sounds typically Thai

[taony]

2 hours ago, Rorri said:

Mmmmm, seems the same problems they suffer in Thailand.

 

 

Exactly.  Make an effort to improve their lives here and so many wouldn't be going to other countries in the first place.

 

The article fails to mention even one thing done, so must have just been a free junket for some government yahoos in any case.

[northernboy]

If the working conditions and opportunities is better for women in Thailand, just maybe they would not seek employment overseas with poor working conditions.

 

Maybe more Thai women would find suitable work here. Then the Thai government could worry less and not have to make sure that the funds raised overseas  by these hard working Thai women is not wasted before it comes home on drugs or gambling overseas. What would Thailand economy be without Thai women working overseas and being the major income earns for many Thai rural families?

 

Of course, the poor Thai women that have had to marry foreign husbands overseas are doing their duty to support the Thai Economy of getting paid abroad and not corrupting the society by having their beloved country exposed to the bad habits that non-Thai cultures which have caused the ruin the good Thai women, that being of drug addictions and gambling  habits. Not to worry the Thai government will try to help you spend less on these vises, so you can send more money home.

Keep helping Thai people to send money home. Do your by  bit  recruiting jobs so more would be Thai overseas workers or better still find them old rich "husbands". As clearly, only 1 percent of the population can not be expected to support the remaining 99% to the standard they want to be looked after. So please do as asked and help other Thais. 

 

 

[cockatoowho]

Thais don't give a flying firk about anyone below them so what makes this any different. Sounds like an excuse to take more paid holidays courtesy of the taxpayer. These clowns spend 90% of their working day scheming and the other 10% carrying it out.

[Sphere]

Quote

The ministry’s inspector, Samphan Suwannathap, and his entourage on Sunday traveled to Hong Kong to organize the project from 27-29 August 2016.

 

I guess, in 3 days, they could cover about 5% of the basement bars in Wanchai.

[dageurreotype]

Quote

 The premier wanted Thai citizens living outside the country to love and help one another and build a positive reputation for Thailand, said the inspector.

 

I believe all these other countries already have a pretty good idea of Thailand's reputation up to and including the many Thai women migrating to er, better themselves financially. Is this a joke? 

 

[chiang mai]

Sounds like a jolly to me.

[12DrinkMore]

4 hours ago, digibum said:

 

Ironically, most Thai women living abroad need protection from other Thais.  Nine out of 10 Thai restaurants where I live are staffed entirely by Thais in the US on tourist or student visas.  Since most Thais can't speak English well enough to get better jobs, they end up working in Thai restaurants where they get paid under the table, have zero benefits, and are treated like the owner's personal slaves.  

 

My wife has the full 10 year green card and can work and also happens to be married to a husband who knows enough about labor laws that I've had to put the fear of gawd into a few business owners who tried to jerk her around.  Fortunately she's ended up at one of the one out of ten that do things right but I can't tell you how many times she's shown me text messages owners have sent to the staff saying things like if they work for a competing Thai restaurant they can be arrested and deported for stealing company secrets.  Or telling them that they aren't entitled to overtime pay because only US citizens get paid overtime.  

 

And then there are the scammers who prey on other Thais with multi-level marketing scams, investment scams, horrific business deals, and even trying to convert them to Christianity.  The second any Thai wants to separate me and my wife, 99.999% of the time they're up to no good.  

 

And the card games and prostitution whilst "hubby" is working at the office.

 

 

 

[digibum]

26 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

And the card games and prostitution whilst "hubby" is working at the office.

 

 

 

 

Uh, I guess, speak for yourself?  

[digibum]

2 hours ago, northernboy said:

Of course, the poor Thai women that have had to marry foreign husbands overseas are doing their duty to support the Thai Economy of getting paid abroad and not corrupting the society by having their beloved country exposed to the bad habits that non-Thai cultures which have caused the ruin the good Thai women, that being of drug addictions and gambling  habits. Not to worry the Thai government will try to help you spend less on these vises, so you can send more money home.

 

Actually, the Thais should take a lesson from the Filipinos.  Faced with similar circumstances, they didn't send their most impoverished overseas to work, they figured out that some skills were in high demand in the west and they trained people for those jobs.  Nursing being one of the bigger job specialities they export.  

 

The system is far from perfect but the government of the Philippines is very active in helping manage the conditions that their labor exports work under.  For instance they have negotiated minimum wages with other countries so that workers would be assured of not getting ripped off once they arrived in a foreign country.  They also provide legal and other help for their overseas citizens.  They won't send labor to countries that have a record of treating their people poorly.  

 

As a result of the government's efforts, nearly 9% of the Philippine GDP comes from money sent back home from workers working abroad.  That's only slightly less than the percentage of GDP that tourism represents in Thailand.  

 

But unlike tourism which can be volatile and ultimately results in very little benefit for the country, a well executed labor export policy leaves you with experienced engineers, nurses, etc who return home and can benefit the country far more than had they stayed home.  

 

Again, the system isn't perfect, but at least it's a system built on reciprocal benefits and with an eye towards building a sustainable future.  Whereas simply sending maids and wives to the west (or the Middle-East, or other parts of Asia) doesn't seem like it elevates anyone long-term.  It's just an endless cycle of dependency.  

 

[Clamhua]

I guess Thailand is saying that Hong Kong is not a good place for Thais...if they need prime minister intervention...

[DipStick]

29 minutes ago, digibum said:

 

Actually, the Thais should take a lesson from the Filipinos.  Faced with similar circumstances, they didn't send their most impoverished overseas to work, they figured out that some skills were in high demand in the west and they trained people for those jobs.  Nursing being one of the bigger job specialities they export.  

 

The system is far from perfect but the government of the Philippines is very active in helping manage the conditions that their labor exports work under.  For instance they have negotiated minimum wages with other countries so that workers would be assured of not getting ripped off once they arrived in a foreign country.  They also provide legal and other help for their overseas citizens.  They won't send labor to countries that have a record of treating their people poorly.  

 

As a result of the government's efforts, nearly 9% of the Philippine GDP comes from money sent back home from workers working abroad.  That's only slightly less than the percentage of GDP that tourism represents in Thailand.  

 

But unlike tourism which can be volatile and ultimately results in very little benefit for the country, a well executed labor export policy leaves you with experienced engineers, nurses, etc who return home and can benefit the country far more than had they stayed home.  

 

Again, the system isn't perfect, but at least it's a system built on reciprocal benefits and with an eye towards building a sustainable future.  Whereas simply sending maids and wives to the west (or the Middle-East, or other parts of Asia) doesn't seem like it elevates anyone long-term.  It's just an endless cycle of dependency.  

 

Totally agree with your comments, but the Philippines has a major advantage and that is their country folk speak relatively good English. In Hong Kong I am amazed how the Indonesian and Thai in  lower end jobs can get through a day let alone survive considering majority are probably employed by Chinese/ Cantonese / English speakers 

[digibum]

10 minutes ago, DipStick said:

Totally agree with your comments, but the Philippines has a major advantage and that is their country folk speak relatively good English. In Hong Kong I am amazed how the Indonesian and Thai in  lower end jobs can get through a day let alone survive considering majority are probably employed by Chinese/ Cantonese / English speakers 

 

Well, #1 on the to-do list should be to improve English skills by doing away with all of the paranoia about Thais losing their identity if they learn a second language.  :-)

 

To be honest, I don't think Thailand can pull it off.  I simply threw it out there as a better example of how you can export labor.  

 

As with everything else, Thailand is trying to take the easy way out.  Invest nothing.  Expect massive returns.  

 

[Andrew65]

7 hours ago, digibum said:

 

Ironically, most Thai women living abroad need protection from other Thais.  Nine out of 10 Thai restaurants where I live are staffed entirely by Thais in the US on tourist or student visas.  Since most Thais can't speak English well enough to get better jobs, they end up working in Thai restaurants where they get paid under the table, have zero benefits, and are treated like the owner's personal slaves.  

 

My wife has the full 10 year green card and can work and also happens to be married to a husband who knows enough about labor laws that I've had to put the fear of gawd into a few business owners who tried to jerk her around.  Fortunately she's ended up at one of the one out of ten that do things right but I can't tell you how many times she's shown me text messages owners have sent to the staff saying things like if they work for a competing Thai restaurant they can be arrested and deported for stealing company secrets.  Or telling them that they aren't entitled to overtime pay because only US citizens get paid overtime.  

 

And then there are the scammers who prey on other Thais with multi-level marketing scams, investment scams, horrific business deals, and even trying to convert them to Christianity.  The second any Thai wants to separate me and my wife, 99.999% of the time they're up to no good.  

 

 

About 12 years ago I paid the 14k Baht airfare for my girlfriend's mother to return from Hungary.

 

I'm not sure if Thais were involved over there, but she was being badly treated anyway.

[Mook23]

som nam na...

 

thai are nr 1 in treating other less fortunate badly... Hong Kong couldn't care less... 

 

zero or little education. naive. 

 

[Thechook]

10 hours ago, digibum said:

 

Ironically, most Thai women living abroad need protection from other Thais.  Nine out of 10 Thai restaurants where I live are staffed entirely by Thais in the US on tourist or student visas.  Since most Thais can't speak English well enough to get better jobs, they end up working in Thai restaurants where they get paid under the table, have zero benefits, and are treated like the owner's personal slaves.  

 

My wife has the full 10 year green card and can work and also happens to be married to a husband who knows enough about labor laws that I've had to put the fear of gawd into a few business owners who tried to jerk her around.  Fortunately she's ended up at one of the one out of ten that do things right but I can't tell you how many times she's shown me text messages owners have sent to the staff saying things like if they work for a competing Thai restaurant they can be arrested and deported for stealing company secrets.  Or telling them that they aren't entitled to overtime pay because only US citizens get paid overtime.  

 

And then there are the scammers who prey on other Thais with multi-level marketing scams, investment scams, horrific business deals, and even trying to convert them to Christianity.  The second any Thai wants to separate me and my wife, 99.999% of the time they're up to no good.  

 

 

Same in Australia, Thais being abused and used by their fellow countrymen. 

[chainarong]

Look no further than Thailand , if it was so great at home why go some place else to find work , generally only professionals work overseas,  who are on a good income and conditions.....................................

[SOTIRIOS]

...how about countless foreign men that married Thai women in good faith...

 

...and ended up destitute....

 

...this is bloody insane....

[dcnx]

15 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Yes, but there are many Thai/Asian women working as maids etc, who get appallingly bad treatment in Asia and the Middle East. Also, many of them are probably there on their own/unmarried.

 

They're probably trying to help these kinds of women.

 

They could start by trying to shut down the trafficking networks and bogus job placement services who put a lot of these women in a bad position to begin with. 

 

Too many pay large sums of money to these agents, usually putting their family in debt,  so they can work abroad only to end up working in poor conditions or in some cases,  not the job they were told and as a sec worker instead. 

 

No one should have to pay 200,000b to get a job. 

 

The PM can't control how workers and women are treated in his own country,  how is he going to help anyone abroad?