"The Thai government's latest resolution to control the growing migrant worker population lacks resolve. The Thai government is promising a "total solution" to the country's migrant worker population. But if history is any guide, the new resolution looks just like the latest rendition of previously flawed policies. For years Burmese migrants have fueled border industries with cheap labor, but with a recession looming the Thai government is once again trying to tackle a problem that has caused previous administrations to stumble. Thai Labor Minister Dej Bunlong has said this latest registration scheme would benefit employers and workers both. Bunlong said employers would no longer have to pay kickbacks to keep their workers from being arrested and the workers would in turn benefit from both their legal standing and from the health care coverage they would be entitled to under the new resolution. This is the first time the government has offered to issue an unlimited number of work permits. Any worker who is at least eighteen years old and who is living in Thailand before September 24th is eligible for a permit if they apply before the October 13th deadline..."