Communication between Bauer Thai Co

[tacdb@xxxxxxxxxx]

Please send letters requesting the same (if possible) to Bauer Thai Company
Limited. They are responsible for paying over six months of wages to 100
Burmese construction workers in Bangkok.... 
______________________________

URGENT FAX MESSAGE

To : 		The Managing Director,
		Bauer Thai Construction Co. Ltd.,
                142 Pacific Tower, 19th Floor, Sukhumvit Road, 
                Klong Toei, Bangkok, Thailand.

Fax No. :	(+662) 589 4948.

Date :		19th September, 1997.

Re. :		Request to cease the non-payment of wages to Burmese
workers in Bangkok.

CC. :	        ASEAN and International Press, BurmaNet News Service
(worldwide), Royal Thai Government, Diplomatic missions in Bangkok
(including Germany), Union for Civil Liberties (BKK), Asian Forum for
Development and Human Rights (BKK), The International Labor 	Organization
(BKK and Geneva), Asian Human Rights Commission (Hong Kong), United Nations
Hotline	(Geneva and New York). 
________________________________

Dear Managing Director,

We respectfully request that your company cease the practice of withholding
wages from Burmese workers on your project construction site near Lar Hok
railway station in Rangsit, Bangkok. 

These wages were meant to be paid to workers through your agent Mr. Suwan.
Mr. Suwan represents ' Anglo-Thai' or 'Angel Thai' Agents and this company
has been breaching the terms of the contract since it was agreed upon in
early February, 1997. We believe that Bauer Thai Co. Ltd. have previously
experienced such problems with this agent. Burmese workers, although having
sold their labor power to Bauer Thai Co. Ltd. in good faith, have received
no wages since commencing work for Bauer Thai in February, 1997. Workers now
face many difficulties, the most devastating and humiliating of which has
been hunger and. 

As all proper and original agreements have been violated between Bauer,
Angel Thai and the laborers,  we urge that the matter be remedied through
direct and un-mediated contact between Bauer Thai Co. Ltd. and the workers
themselves, in order that wage payment can be guaranteed. 

We would like to stress that the only problem between Bauer Thai Co. Ltd.
and the laborers is the non-payment of wages to Burmese workers.

Most of the workers are highly suspicious of Mr. Suwan and Bauer Thai Co.
Ltd. and many think that you are intent on exploiting their situation by
continuing to withhold wages. As you may be aware, we are planning to make a
large-scale plea for action on this issue in the international community if
the matter is not resolved peacefully, justly and forthwith. 

The world is already starting to come to know how some business owners
exploit and mistreat Burmese workers in Thailand. Soon, too, the world will
come to know that internationally owned and/or operated companies are also
exploiting and mistreating Burmese workers in Thailand.  We believe that
Bauer Thai Co. Ltd. is a German owned company. Germany has a good reputation
in the world for industrial relations that we would like to see upheld in
Bauer Thai's handling of this situation.

The world is becoming more sensitive to the problems of Burmese people who
have been forced to leave their country for one reason or another. Burmese
workers must be treated fairly, wherever they may be.

We restate that it is your company's responsibility to pay our wages and the
remedy the situation as soon as possible.

We respectfully request that Bauer Thai Co. Ltd. deliver workers' wages
directly to laborers at the site in Lar Hok. 

If you have any difficulties in this matter we are prepared to assist you in
any way. It is possible for us to ask a well-reputed  Thai organization and/
or lawyer, to oversee this process for your peace of mind. 

Sincerely, and with kind regards,

U Mai Maung,				Khin Pyu Win,
Workers Representative.			Thai Action Committee for 							        Democracy
in Burma (TACDB),
					328 Phayathai Road,
					Rajthevee, BKK 10400, 								        THAILAND.
					tel/fax: (+662) 216 4463.
******************************************************
Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB),
328 Phayathai Road,
Rajthevee,
Bangkok 10400,
THAILAND.

tel/fax:  (+662) 216 4463
email:	  tacdb@xxxxxxxxxx
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