[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Deportation of Illegal Immigrants i



Deportation of Illegal Immigrants in Maesod
January 9, 1998

	As a result of continuing arrest by Thai authorities, Burmese illegal
immigrants in Maesod have been living in fear. Some go to stay with friends
overnight where they think would be more safe, because the authorities
cordon off areas where the Burmese community is predominant and make
arrests, usually in the evening and early at dawn. 

	Arrests were made this morning, but the exact number is not known. Though
Burmese workers carry identity cards issued by the factories where they
work, they are still arrested, some even at their work places,  as the
documents are not officially recognized. It is learnt that Burmese workers
in at least 5 factories have been arrested, since the drive started. That
is why, the Burmese workers dare not go to work any longer.
	
	It is learnt that the present campaign was launched systematically in
accordance with the policy of the Thai Government. The arrest is carried
out by a task force made up of personnel from 5 agencies, namely, the
police, the immigration, the army, the town municipal council and the
village defense force. Every day, about 100 to 200 Burmese are  arrested.
Some sources said that about 700 were arrested on the 7th of January, more
than 300 on the 6th  and over 500 on the 25th. 

	Rumor has it that the campaign of arrest of the Burmese illegal workers
will be over at the end of January and, in February, there will be a drive
against the landlords of the illegal workers. At the present, some
landlords are terminating rent to the Burmese workers or evicting them. As
a result, many Burmese workers are having difficulties finding living
accommodation. 

	It is learnt that the Thai Premier, Labor Minister and the  committees
involved in the project will hold a coordinating meeting and each committee
will draw up new quarterly or half yearly action plans on the 19th of this
month,  and the Thai Labor ministry is reviewing all the laws relating to
foreign workers. The review, according to some sources, has reached the
conclusions that as the foreign workers are living too freely in Thailand,
they could become a security threat to Thailand and, also, that the Thai
authorities cannot take effective actions against the problem, because some
of them are reaping a considerable benefit from the illegal immigrant
workers. 
	
	An informed estimate puts the total number of illegal immigrant workers at
about one million, and  more than 700,000 of it as Burmese. The majority of
the illegal immigrant workers are engaged in dirty, dangerous or difficult
jobs spurned by Thai workers. Moreover, there is a stark difference in
wages. An illegal immigrant worker, employed in the same conditions and
work, would receive only a third of the wage a Thai worker would receive. 

	If all the illegal workers were deported, some said that many factories
would have to be closed down and, if they were replaced with Thai workers,
the production cost would have risen 3 folds, making it extremely
unpalatable for the investors and business community.
	
                           Communication Center in Thailand
   //END//