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Plan to train Thai workers backfire



Subject: Plan to train Thai workers backfires

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Plan to train Thai workers backfires
Wut told aliens too difficult to replace


Supamart Kasem


The plan to train Thai workers to replace illegal Burmese factory labour =
has failed, Labour Minister Wut Sukosol was told yesterday.

About 80% of the locals who applied for jobs resigned before they =
finished training, Suchart Visuwan, president of the Tak Industrial =
Council, said.

Many of those who completed the course and began work quit within two or =
three weeks, complaining about the hard work even though they were paid =
full wages and overtime pay.

The minister was told about 30 factories had closed down since last =
August when the government began pushing illegal migrants back to Burma =
in order to make room for the unemployed Thais.

Some operators had moved their machinery to Bangkok or other provinces =
far from the border and set up business by once again hiring illegal =
foreign workers.

Panithi Tangpati, president of the Tak Chamber of Commerce, estimated =
losses to the local industrial sector stood at around four billion baht.

In the agricultural sector, the damage was around one billion baht, he =
said. Huge crops of vegetables, roses and other products had been left =
to rot because there were no labourers to work the fields.

Mr Panithi said the private sector in the province agreed in principle =
with the government's policy to repatriate illegal Burmese workers. =
However, the government should allow some leeway so businesses could =
hire Burmese workers as well as local labour at a ratio to be worked =
out.

The Burmese could be issued border passes so they could cross into =
Thailand each day to work and return home at night.

He understood the Burmese authorities tended to favour the border pass =
arrangement.

The labour minister said the government's concern about the security =
threat posed by the large presence of illegal workers from Burma was =
justified but sympathised with local businesses and promised to raise =
their problems with the cabinet.

An estimated one million illegal migrants from Burma worked in Thailand =
before the forced repatriation began, including about 30,000 in Tak =
alone as either farm hands or garment factory workers. Only about =
100,000 were officially allowed to remain, working in 18 categories of =
business in 37 provinces


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<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D+4>Plan to train Thai workers =
backfires</FONT></H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D+2><I>Wut told aliens too =
difficult=20
to replace</I></FONT><BR><BR>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000><!--BYLINE--><B><FONT size=3D3>Supamart=20
Kasem</FONT></B><BR>
<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>T</B></FONT>he plan to train Thai workers to =
replace illegal=20
Burmese factory labour has failed, Labour Minister Wut Sukosol was told=20
yesterday.</P>
<P>About 80% of the locals who applied for jobs resigned before they =
finished=20
training, Suchart Visuwan, president of the Tak Industrial Council, =
said.</P>
<P>Many of those who completed the course and began work quit within two =
or=20
three weeks, complaining about the hard work even though they were paid =
full=20
wages and overtime pay.</P>
<P>The minister was told about 30 factories had closed down since last =
August=20
when the government began pushing illegal migrants back to Burma in =
order to=20
make room for the unemployed Thais.</P>
<P>Some operators had moved their machinery to Bangkok or other =
provinces far=20
from the border and set up business by once again hiring illegal foreign =

workers.</P>
<P>Panithi Tangpati, president of the Tak Chamber of Commerce, estimated =
losses=20
to the local industrial sector stood at around four billion baht.</P>
<P>In the agricultural sector, the damage was around one billion baht, =
he said.=20
Huge crops of vegetables, roses and other products had been left to rot =
because=20
there were no labourers to work the fields.</P>
<P>Mr Panithi said the private sector in the province agreed in =
principle with=20
the government's policy to repatriate illegal Burmese workers. However, =
the=20
government should allow some leeway so businesses could hire Burmese =
workers as=20
well as local labour at a ratio to be worked out.</P>
<P>The Burmese could be issued border passes so they could cross into =
Thailand=20
each day to work and return home at night.</P>
<P>He understood the Burmese authorities tended to favour the border =
pass=20
arrangement.</P>
<P>The labour minister said the government's concern about the security =
threat=20
posed by the large presence of illegal workers from Burma was justified =
but=20
sympathised with local businesses and promised to raise their problems =
with the=20
cabinet.</P>
<P>An estimated one million illegal migrants from Burma worked in =
Thailand=20
before the forced repatriation began, including about 30,000 in Tak =
alone as=20
either farm hands or garment factory workers. Only about 100,000 were =
officially=20
allowed to remain, working in 18 categories of business in 37=20
provinces</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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