PM promises to invoke S44 to solve confusion over new alien workers’ law

[webfact]

PM promises to invoke S44 to solve confusion over new alien workers’ law

By Thai PBS

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha assured on Sunday that he would invoke Section 44 of the Interim Constitution to suspend or postpone the enforcement of certain provisions of the new law on alien workers which carry punitive actions against employers who hire undocumented migrant workers.

 

He pleaded with employers and foreign migrant workers not to be worried too much with the law, promising that everything would be settled this week.

 

The prime minister said that his government was fully aware of the problem and hardship of employers who have to rely on the services of foreign migrant workers.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-promises-invoke-s44-solve-confusion-new-alien-workers-law/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-07-03

[Cadbury]

Is there now any part of the government control system left where someone is not touched in some small, way by the Supreme Commander's Article 44? One man has full control over everyone in the land. Scary!

[Thechook]

Meanwhile 250 Cambodians have been rounded up and deported

[canuckamuck]

I guess some influential people were quite dependent on illegal workers. No problem we'll section 44 the law.

 

[ezzra]

When things are in disarray and doubt, get S44 out, when you lost as to what

to do next and the minions aren't unhappy, invoke the S44 pappy....

I wonder, can the man governs without to look like as if his life is depended

on this one size fits all decree?....

Edited July 2, 2017 by ezzra

[rkidlad]

This is all so dumb. 

 

Don't worry too much? Yea, you lowly immigrant workers. Don't worry. You might not get rounded up. 

[z42]

What confusion. The rules seem pretty clear, if they're illegal the police should do what needs to be done (by the book). If they are legal and complying with the new rules (which many are in the process of doing now) then leave them alone and stop shaking them down as if it is your right to do so.
Many migrant workers here are salt of the earth types, work damn hard day in day out in horrendous conditions, and take home a pittance of money for their efforts, yet they are still seen as fair game for being shaken down even more. The officials involved at any level are scum of the earth. The only thing S44 needs to be used for here is to ensure that those guilty of orchestrating this theft from the poor skip a trip to the inactive post office and instead head straight for a place in a squalid prison cell.

[doremifasol]

.

Pffttt.......

.

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

Life is good. It's great to possess the poison and the antidote.

[wayned]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

hardship of employers who have to rely on the services of foreign migrant workers.

The only reason that the employers have to rely on the services of foreign migrant workers is  that if they provided the wages and benefits that are required by law it would directly affect their profitability.  Instead of relaxing the penalties, they should make them larger!

[LannaGuy]

Foreman on my house charged 10,000 baht with 2,500 going as a 'bounty' to the Thai that reported them. This will have devastating effects on the construction industry and has turned my contractor anti-junta in a nano-second. 

[quadperfect]

Back track.44

[LannaGuy]

1 hour ago, z42 said:

What confusion. The rules seem pretty clear, if they're illegal the police should do what needs to be done (by the book). If they are legal and complying with the new rules (which many are in the process of doing now) then leave them alone and stop shaking them down as if it is your right to do so.
Many migrant workers here are salt of the earth types, work damn hard day in day out in horrendous conditions, and take home a pittance of money for their efforts, yet they are still seen as fair game for being shaken down even more. The officials involved at any level are scum of the earth. The only thing S44 needs to be used for here is to ensure that those guilty of orchestrating this theft from the poor skip a trip to the inactive post office and instead head straight for a place in a squalid prison cell.

Ah you mean make up a new law? that's what the unelected junta have done and now 1000s being thrown back over the border and 'fines' being extorted and thais paid 25% to report these poor souls. Your post is naive to say the least. 

[mikebell]

Each restrictive new law is a licence for police to print money.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

4 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Is there now any part of the government control system left where someone is not touched in some small, way by the Supreme Commander's Article 44? One man has full control over everyone in the land. Scary!

At this rate, section 44 will soon be the ONLY law! 

[Eric Loh]

What a mess of a government. And it started back in 2015 when the man himself made a statement on tough penalties for foreigners and the ministries overreacted and now caused a major problem and confusion. Invoking 44 will not help with the confusion, uncertainty and nervousness of the foreign workers who are mainly illiterate and will only increase the corruption of the those who will manipulate the confusion at the expense of the foreign workers.  

[williamgeorgeallen]

remember when the good general first took command and they started rounding up all the illegal construction workers and they left thailand in mass. many construction projects ground to a halt.  seems the general has a short memory.

Edited July 3, 2017 by williamgeorgeallen

[richard_smith237]

This actually seems like a common sense approach. 

 

The law as it existed was extremely difficult to comply with, employers had to wait for a certain two week 'period' in which to legalize their alien laborers and renew this work permit each year. This created huge queue, a huge backlog and is quite costly. Many laborers are known for obtaining their working documents then disappearing, they then need to be replaced, often by non-legal labour. This opens the door for some degree of extortion, well, quite a lot of extortion actually !... 

 

Invoking article 44 to protect the labour supply makes a lot of sense. Improving the process to make it easier for employers to obtain documents for alien workers would also make sense, instead of the current highly bureaucratic, timely, costly system in place...

 

IF the government recognizes that this labour source is needed, make it easier for these alien laborers to work legally.

 

[trainman34014]

The new laws were making it too difficult for very rich people to exploit very poor people.    A few whispers in someones ears and hey presto, all is back to normal with the waving of magic wand 44 and the exploitation can continue apace !

[dcnx]

Article 44 land

 

[WhizBang]

Perhaps if sufficient thought and consideration was put into drafting laws, there would be little room for confusion.

But no, everything must be done quickly and written using vague language to allow for random interpretation by officials so they can extort people.

 

Section 44 is not needed.  Just scrap the law and start over.

[chrisinth]

6 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Is there now any part of the government control system left where someone is not touched in some small, way by the Supreme Commander's Article 44? One man has full control over everyone in the land. Scary!

I keep asking myself when there is an eventual elected government, what happens to all the areas affected by article 44?

 

What if the newly elected government has other viewpoints?

 

Dodgy long term problem IMO.

[hotchilli]

It's all a publicity stunt, bring about a new law to comply with the halting of illegal trafficking and use of immigrant workers to appease the powers to be in the international world, then a week later reverse the actual decision so that Thailand can operate as normal!

Priceless!

[the guest]

What a messed up country Thailand has become. 

[Tilacme]

He pleaded with employers and foreign migrant workers not to be worried too much with the law

 

What kind of message is that from a PM?

[ChrisY1]

2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

remember when the good general first took command and they started rounding up all the illegal construction workers and they left thailand in mass. many construction projects ground to a halt.  seems the general has a short memory.

They don't have memories that go back more than 24hrs!

[CantSpell]

What was the project called?

Thailand 4.0 or Thailand 0.44? 

 

Yes on Thursday, Sure on Friday, No no on Saturday, 44 on Sunday... 

Bumpy road at each new legislation...

[LannaGuy]

20 hours ago, chrisinth said:

I keep asking myself when there is an eventual elected government, what happens to all the areas affected by article 44?

 

What if the newly elected government has other viewpoints?

 

Dodgy long term problem IMO.

Not sure why you ask yourself that when there are 200+ unelected senators to ensure the elected 'keep in line'