Thailand cracks down on migrant workers as anti-immigration feelings rise

[digibum]

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Xenophobia and nationalism is on the rise here.

 

We have a right-wing military junta in control.

 

Economy is struggling with exports suffering as other regional countries become more attractive and more competitive.

 

Much worse to come and deporting a few Bangladeshis and Burmese isn't going to help.

 

 

Any farang who has set up a life in Thailand and doesn't think that this xenophobia won't spill over to them as conditions deteriorate in the Thai economy doesn't understand history.  

 

Project out a few years when Vietnam has caught up to and surpassed Thailand.  When Thais can no longer flaunt their Thai exceptionalism as Cambodia and Myanmar start catching up.  

 

It's going to be a very hard landing for Thais to wake up to the fact that the rest of the world has passed them by.  There will be a lot of finger pointing and blaming before they come to accept it.  

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

As pointed out above by another poster the wages in those countries are lower. You will see migration of Thai firms to these other countries, as has been the trend in the last ten years but not economic migrants. 

 

But these neighbouring countries are far from recession as you asserted earlier. In fact, their economic outlook is far more rosy than that of Thailand. 

Don't ask a fanboy to criticise Thailand while their beloved junta's in charge. On any subject.

 

[geisha]

For many years Phuket, for example, has been relying on Burmese for positions such as cooks, waiters, cleaners, and all the other usual construction jobs. Many of my once regular hang outs had Burmese employees , who were always charming, and did their job well, and didn't " disappear"  ( Thais, one day they're there, the next, not) .Buisness owners are usually very happy with them, especially as they speak English , which is not the case with the locals ! I think they were mostly all legal. All the condos I've rented have had Burmese running them , and they are very competent.

.

[ScotBkk]

4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

Far from it.

 

Cambodia - Despite heightened risks to the outlook, growth should remain solid. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect the economy to expand 6.9% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month's projection. In 2017, panelists also expect the economy to expand 6.9%.

 

Laos - Growth should remain solid this year—despite weaker regional trade—thanks in part to the government’s loose and infrastructure focused fiscal policy. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect GDP to expand 7.1% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2017, the panel also sees growth of 7.1%.

 

Myanmar - The lifting of economic sanctions is another milestone for Myanmar, an increasingly attractive destination for FDI. FocusEconomics panelists expect the economy to grow 8.2% in 2016, which is unchanged from last month’s estimate. For 2017, the panel projects growth of 8.1%.

 

Then we look at Thailand it is all pretty negative over the spread. http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/thailand

 

 

How can they steal jobs from

certain thais who are allergic to work suffering from:

 

Bone Idle Lazy Bastard. Syndrome 

Edited September 29, 2016 by ScotBkk

[pumpuy]

Thailands economy is stagnant . but without the foreign workers it would break down complety .

No thais are willing to work hard 7 days a week for 300 Baht a day .

Taking jobs from the Thais ? All construction workers where I live are Burmese , Thais would not do it ...

[SOTIRIOS]

....because they...and their governments objected to them being duped....then treated like slaves....

 

...unless they can drain your blood....seems like you are not welcome any more....

 

...like countless marriages....drain....then find a fake pretext to dump......

 

...good for you Cambodia...for standing up for your citizens....

 

...as for the 'western nations'......never once heard 'boo' from them....

 

...case in point..... 'Justice for Jessie'.....

[Thaidream]

Business in Thailand is bad for everyone.  Most of the westerners doing business in Thailand are trying to sell out be it bars or restaurants. They better find a buyer soon as the next  foreigner blamed for taking Thai jobs will be the  Western business owners. It's been back and forth like this for decades, hence, my statement- never open a business in Thailand. there is no long term stability. 

[kiwikeith]

6 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

Far from it.

 

Cambodia - Despite heightened risks to the outlook, growth should remain solid. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect the economy to expand 6.9% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month's projection. In 2017, panelists also expect the economy to expand 6.9%.

 

Laos - Growth should remain solid this year—despite weaker regional trade—thanks in part to the government’s loose and infrastructure focused fiscal policy. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect GDP to expand 7.1% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2017, the panel also sees growth of 7.1%.

 

Myanmar - The lifting of economic sanctions is another milestone for Myanmar, an increasingly attractive destination for FDI. FocusEconomics panelists expect the economy to grow 8.2% in 2016, which is unchanged from last month’s estimate. For 2017, the panel projects growth of 8.1%.

 

Then we look at Thailand it is all pretty negative over the spread. http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/thailand

 

 

 

When I look at Thailand I see senseless importing of Burmese labour to undercut Thai workers.

They are flat out in Hua Hin and Cha amm building empty resorts and apartment blocks.

I think young Thai men feel that gumagone/ labourer is below them , therefore turning to pimping and drug dealing.

Very sad that the government lets these workers in by the thousands when unemployment is high for Local Thai residents.

Brain dead I call it.

 

[Xircal]

6 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day.

One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat).

 

Actually that's quite a good deal your friend is giving them if he's providing food and decent accommodation into the bargain as well. Most of them earn 100 Baht a day without any extras.

[Brer Fox]

7 hours ago, trogers said:

If the economy here stagnants, the economy of neighbouring countries must be in recession forcing their people to work illegally here...

The economies of neighbouring countries are going gangbusters e.g Myanmar and Vietnam so all the lazy unqualified layabouts from those countries come to Thailand to "get some work" because they know Thai authorities have no work ethics or productivity requirements.

[red roger]

7 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Xenophobia and nationalism is on the rise here.

 

We have a right-wing military junta in control.

 

Economy is struggling with exports suffering as other regional countries become more attractive and more competitive.

 

Much worse to come and deporting a few Bangladeshis and Burmese isn't going to help.

 

A good observation Father. Now.... let me think of a western nation in similar straits. 

[trogers]

3 hours ago, Thaidream said:

Business in Thailand is bad for everyone.  Most of the westerners doing business in Thailand are trying to sell out be it bars or restaurants. They better find a buyer soon as the next  foreigner blamed for taking Thai jobs will be the  Western business owners. It's been back and forth like this for decades, hence, my statement- never open a business in Thailand. there is no long term stability. 

 

Not wise to mention bars and restaurants. There has been a supply bubble blown up, until the the Russians and Europeans face their economic downturn. So, with demand down, the weak has to close.

[pegman]

Whatever happened to the talk about changing laws that would require all foreign owned businesses  be  Thai controled? 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/foreign-investment-plummets-junta-ruled-thailand-064555840--finance.html?ref=gs

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by pegman

[digibum]

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

 

When I look at Thailand I see senseless importing of Burmese labour to undercut Thai workers.

They are flat out in Hua Hin and Cha amm building empty resorts and apartment blocks.

I think young Thai men feel that gumagone/ labourer is below them , therefore turning to pimping and drug dealing.

Very sad that the government lets these workers in by the thousands when unemployment is high for Local Thai residents.

Brain dead I call it.

 

 

It's not senseless if it makes sense.  :-)

 

The government, as a populist move, raises the minimum wage.  Businesses that cannot pass the increased cost onto consumers (like producers of commodity items) are faced with either making less money or hiring immigrant labor who will work for a lower wage.  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what what's going to happen.  

 

Thailand's chief export is not rice or rubber, it's cheap labor.  And cheap labor has prevented Thailand from making many productivity improvements because it wasn't cost effective if one could simply throw more cheap labor at it rather than make capital expenditures.  

 

That's all fine and dandy unless the cost of living starts increasing at a pace that exceeds the rise in wages.  

 

 

[kickstart]

7 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day.

One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat).

Not only pig farms  where I am  is a big  dairy cow  area,  nearly all the larger farms  use labour  from  Burma  or Cambodia, they all say the same  thing ,can not get  Thai  labour ,ok it is  long hours ,milking at  4.30-5.00 am ,and not finishing until 7 pm ,but they do have  a good few hours off during  the day ,they get  free accommodation ,water ,electric  ,and a lot  get  a 15 kg  bag of  rice a month ,as  you say they get about 250 Baht  day  ,with the above taken in to account ,not a  not a bad living ,one farmer friend of mine ,when I visit  him ,he always seems to have new workers ,a lot do not seem to stay long , must be a pain having to train new people all the time , and  I must agree ,about  language ,most Burmese and Cambodian's  speak  good  Thai , more than can be said of the employer's, about speaking other languages.

As I see it Thailand  can not do without them . 

[Squeegee]

23 minutes ago, digibum said:

cheap labor has prevented Thailand from making many productivity improvements because it wasn't cost effective if one could simply throw more cheap labor at it

 

This makes a lot of sense and seems to be a good insight if we just consider the very many examples on this forum that riff on the theme of employees in numbers not being productive. It's endemic and, like most of their problems, chronic.

[worgeordie]

It seems they want to have Thailand ,for Thais only, everybody else

can leave,it's not only illegal workers,Immigration is continually 

making things more difficult,Xenophobia is alive and well,here. 

regards Worgeordie

[FredNL]

"Slaves" are still cheaper than machines and electric....

[chrisinth]

I can't remember who said this but every developing nation depends on a slave work force. The fact that countries like Thailand fight future development with immigration/labour principles instead of looking at what is required for progress will/has lead to the local illegal immigrant issue.

 

Now Thailand looks towards a problem if this is a full scale exercise; arrest and deport all the illegal workers they can find, who is going to step in and fill the void (to the level of worker experience that already exists)? The Thais that are being deprived of these jobs? Good luck with that.

 

If they regard the present economic situation as stagnant the country can expect a downward spiral if they get rid of their 'slave' labour force. Like everything else that is undertaken here though, i expect this is a token gesture that can be recorded in some obscure report to be filed in some archive as something 'seen to be done'. 

 

IMO of course.............................. 

[gandalf12]

19 hours ago, baansgr said:

ASEAN has been discussed since 1957 regarding trade deals, free movement of citizens regarding working has never been part of the discussions.

Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return

[Caps]

Just now, gandalf12 said:

Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return

 

Wow, I can't believe that at all  

[soalbundy]

20 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return

just the normal hypocrisy, give a PC talk to reporters then carry on as usual, it's the same the world over but Thailand is more pragmatic than most and they usually get away with it because nobody really cares about slave labour as long as the shirts, Nike shoes and shrimps are cheap.  

[madmitch]

With an official unemployment rate of around 1%, what have they to worry about?

 

Unless that figure is somehow inaccurate! 

[soalbundy]

12 minutes ago, madmitch said:

With an official unemployment rate of around 1%, what have they to worry about?

 

Unless that figure is somehow inaccurate! 

That is a little unfair because no country tells the truth about unemployment,there are ways and means and statistics. The U6 measurement of unemployment in the USA  (called the real unemployment figure) for example shows unemployment at almost 10% not the official rate of 4.7%. The same could be said for Europe as well. my daughter in Germany is a single mother who is desperately looking for work but because she doesn't receive unemployment benefit she  is not classed as unemployed.

[kannot]

20 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day.

One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat).

none will work round here for  less than 450 500, got a Burmese lad  all registered with permit and id etc 12500 month, free house electric motorbike,  fuel + rice,

Thai locals want to work inside not interested in any agricultural type work at  all so the govt can stop bleating about taking jobs from Thais.

If they throw them out the Thais will be going hungry

[Wilsonandson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwxkIg8rA5w

Edited September 30, 2016 by Wilsonandson

[Jools]

Scratching my head in confusion at the xenophobic Thai nonsense. Many of the expats who live here do not work, they merely spend money. This is STILL resented by the Thai anti-foreigner contingent who use Trump-like prejudice to rouse ignorant Thais to a fever pitch. The jobs that ARE taken by foreigners, tend to be the ones that a Thai could never fill, such as English-teacher. Imagine learning English from a Thai. How would you ever be understood by a native English speaker? Thais will believe nearly ANYTHING as long as it is invective aimed at "outsiders" who are deemed to be at fault for all the Kingdom's problems. Never face facts, never admit you're wrong and most importantly, never change course when it's obvious that you're on the wrong track.

[digibum]

On 9/29/2016 at 8:10 PM, soalbundy said:

That is a little unfair because no country tells the truth about unemployment,there are ways and means and statistics. The U6 measurement of unemployment in the USA  (called the real unemployment figure) for example shows unemployment at almost 10% not the official rate of 4.7%. The same could be said for Europe as well. my daughter in Germany is a single mother who is desperately looking for work but because she doesn't receive unemployment benefit she  is not classed as unemployed.

 

It's not unfair at all.  Yes, all countries lie (a bit) about unemployment but Thailand's unemployment ranges from 0% to 1%.  If you know anything about economic you know that 0% unemployment is not even possible.  Just people changing jobs in a robust economy would have higher unemployment than that.  And that says nothing about the fact that 0% unemployment should have massive upward pressure on wages and-or stunt economic growth as new businesses wouldn't be able to find employees.  

 

There's a huge difference between economists using numbers that sound better than the situation actually is and completely fabricated numbers that defy all laws of economics.  

 

 

[digibum]

On 9/29/2016 at 8:28 AM, worgeordie said:

It seems they want to have Thailand ,for Thais only, everybody else

can leave,it's not only illegal workers,Immigration is continually 

making things more difficult,Xenophobia is alive and well,here. 

regards Worgeordie

 

I hope you didn't just figure this fact out.  

 

Look at ANY debate about anything going on in Thailand involving farangs and within 3 responses a Thai will jump to their standard line, "Well, if you don't like it, get out of my country."  

 

Thailand is like Facebook.  There is no thumb down option.  

 

[Gainsbourg]

All foam no beer. Hub of crackdowns. So many words. So little action.

 

Ps. Meanwhile at ministry of crackdowns: eat rice yet? Priorities first!