Burmese Migant Workers in Thailand:

[tacdb@xxxxxxxxxx]

(This report was written in September, 1997. Sue to the sensitive nature of
infromations received, we have only decided to disseminate it now)

A REPORT ON THE SITUATION AT MAHACHAI POLICE STATION, 
SUMUTSAKHON PROVINCE, THAILAND.

Situation Report (ref: BU.MAH.0001 5/97.)

AREA PROFILE
As of April 1997, NGO workers estimate that there is around 50,000 Burmese
nationals residing in the township of Mahachai, located in the Samutsakhon
Province of Thailand approximately 2 hours from Bangkok. The area often
termed 'Old Mahachai' is renowned for it's seafood processing industry,
which is the largest employer of illegal Burmese nationals. Other major
regional industries providing work opportunities include the building and
construction industry, the aluminium, glass and plastic product
manufacturing industries. Mahachai is home to an estimated 500,000 Thai
nationals. Offical figures on the extact number of people living and working
in this area of Thailand is hard to obtain, as the population is quite
transient and constructing population profiles under such conditions becomes
difficult when few government resources are ear-marked for such activities. 

The majority of Burmese nationals in the area are migrant workers, although
the population of unemployed Burmese is on the rise as workers bring their
extended families and friends to Thailand in search of a better life. The
migrant population in Mahachai is predominantly of Mon or Burman ethnic
extraction. Over half of these workers are women and young girls. Many
workers come to Thialand so that they are in a better position to be able to
assist their families and friends that they have brought with them to
Thailand or who remian back home in Burma. Ages of workers range from as
young as 10 years to as old as 60 years of age and many are working in food
processing factories or in construction under informal arrangements with no
or little security or protection. Working conditions of such Burmese are of
a questionable standard. Even those who have been able to pay for a work
permit and are fully registered for a two year period, must work under
questionable conditions. The numbers of Burmese nationals working in this
area is likely to increase drastically over the coming months as agents
procure more workers from inside Burma. Our sources supplied information
that another 1,000 Burmese workers arrived illegally in Thailand via the
common Ye-Ranong transportation route on the 23rd April, 1997. Many more
were expected in the following months just from one agent alone.
Additionally, our preliminary research findings have revealed that many
Burmese nationals currently working here do not intend to return to Burma
when their period of registration has expired. 

There have been many instances of abuse and exploitation of Burmese
nationals at the hands of Thai police officers stationed at Mahachai. The
situation within the police compound itself has been steadily deteriorating
over the time our organisation has been observing the situation. We urge
that action be taken as a matter of urgency as more Burmese nationals will
suffer human rights abuses at the hands of Thai officals, who are meant to
be upholding the law and offering protection to the communities they operate
within.

OUTLINE OF RECENT EVENTS
Reliable sources have informed TACDB of the situation within Mahachai Police
Station where up to 400 Burmese nationals have been incarcerated at any one
time. There have been many reports of deaths in custody as well as evidence
of other physical abuses taking place. The cells are overcrowded to the
point where it is virtually impossible for detainees to lie  down to sleep,
and women and men are being detained in the same cells where there have been
reports of sexual assault and harrassment. 

Health Problems
Only one toilet is currently operational and both women and men must use
this facility in full sight of all detainees. Detainees are unable to clean
themselves properly due to the absence of running water and the
overcrowding. The health situation of detainees is grave, with a range of
skin diseases being contracted by Burmese nationals after just a short three
days of incarceration . High numbers of Burmese migrant men living in
Mahachai frequent locally operated brothels where many have contracted
sexually transmissible diseases such as HIV/Aids. Such diseases are highly
contagious under the best of health cirumstances, but even more so when
people are being kept in such unhygenic circumstances. Only 2-3 water
bottles are given daily for between 15-20 inmates to share among themsleves,
while two small meals are served per day to each inmate. Considering the
overcrowding and consequent health problems, the food served is not
nutritionally sufficient. New arrivals at the police station are often
harrassed by longer term detainees into handing over their cleaner items of
clothing. 

Non-adherence to regulations governing the treatment and care of detainees
One Burmese national recently released from the jail told how he was forced
to pay a 40,000 Baht fine to officers after only a 16 day detention period.
According to current Thai law and illegal immigrant must pay a fine of 2,500
Baht as well as 17 Baht for each day of detention. For a 1,000 Baht fee, a
Burmese detainee can be transferred to Bangkok's Immigration Detention
Centre (IDC) where conditions are not as severe for inmates. It is often the
case that those people who have already finsihed their legally required
period of incarceration, and who are without money, are left to suffer the
unsatisfactory cell conditions at Mahachai police station, while transfers
to IDC are arranged quickly for those who can pay the large bribes the
police officers request.  There have been additional reports of Burmese
nationals being released during transfer between Mahachai police station and
IDC after paying larger amounts of money to the transferring officers. His
friends and family working in the area, also Burmese nationals, collected
enough money between them to arrange for this to happen.

A pregnant woman detained recently at Mahachai went into labour but could
not convince the officers to transfer her to the hospital until well after
her waters had broken and the baby's head had started to appear. After a
prengant woman's waters break, she is highly suseptible to infection and
great care must be taken to avoid such infection. Given the presence of
contagious skin and other diseases in the cells and that appropriate care
was not taken by supervising officers, the woman suffered subtantially as a
result. She had been arrested with a group of Burmese migrants who had been
gambling at the market in Talakoon, although she had not been participating
in the game and she possesed the required migrant worker documentation. This
did not deter police from arresting and detaining her. The Burmese migrant
population in Mahachai appear to be providing Thai police in the area with a
substantial second source of income. The woman's baby was born on the 6th
May at a hosptial in Mahachai. One police officer charged the woman in
question 3,000 Baht for her release in Kanchanaburi. Fines charged to the
other Burmese nationals arrested with her were much less, even though they
had been charged with the added offense of gambling. Perhaps the police
thought that the local Burmese community would gather the funds to assist
her release. Thai citizens who frequent the Talakoon market area were said
to have assisted the other detainees fine payments. It is unconfirmed as to
whether police accepted bribes in this case. The Thai's who become involved
in these cases are quite influential people, usually higher-ranking local
authorities or the more successful local businessmen.


CONTACT INFORMATION
TACDB is a Thai-based non-government organisation that works to increase the
Thai population's understanding of real situation inside Burma and the
situation for Burmese people in Thailand. Additionally, TACDB is concerned
with highlighting the obstacles faced by Burmese peoples in their struggle
for the realization of peace, democracy and human rights in their country.
These obstacles are the reason that so many Burmese nationals are fleeing to
Thailand as refugees or migrant workers. 

TACDB actively supports and encourages the efforts of Burmese oppostion
groups based in Thailand who aim to bring about peaceful political solutions
to the problems currently facing the Burmese people.


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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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