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Bkk Post -Chuan resolute on worker

Subject: Bkk Post -Chuan resolute on worker repatriation

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Bangkok post - Jan 10, 2000
BORDER=20


Chuan resolute on worker repatriation
Security cited but changes are mooted



Speaking in this northern province heavily reliant on Burmese labour, =
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday insisted that all illegal labour =
will have to be repatriated.

Mr Chuan, who visited to hand out blankets to villagers facing the cold, =
said for security reasons and to prevent social problems the government =
will not change its policy to send illegal foreign workers home.

"It is the same with Thai workers overseas. If they are found to have =
been working illegally in other countries, they are sent back home. It =
is the same policy that we are following," he said.

The government's decision to crack down on illegal Burmese workers, on =
whom the border provinces rely on for labour for their factories, has =
upset the business community.=20

The decision followed Thailand's economic meltdown, rising social =
problems and crimes connected to Burmese workers, and the seizure of the =
Burmese embassy by Burmese students last October.

Asked if the repatriation policy had proven to be a failure since =
Burmese workers simply sneaked back into Thailand, Mr Chuan said that =
reports from officials in charge of securing the policy have indicated =
progress.

He said that in the past employers thought the government would relax =
the policy and rehired workers who sneaked back. However, when it became =
clear the government was serious about the issue, employers were now =
reluctant to hire foreign labour.

However, he said that in the future, the private sector will need legal =
foreign labour-and consequently the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry =
has been ordered to study the issue.

"If there are no Thais to fill the job vacancies, employers could tell =
the Labour Ministry how much foreign labour they need, in what type of =
jobs and how long they will be hired. But they will also have to say =
how, in the long term, they plan to use Thai labour to replace foreign =
labour," he said.

He added the government was considering a proposal to allow Burmese =
workers to use border passes to come to work in Thailand on a daily =
basis.


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<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>Bangkok post - Jan=20
10, 2000</B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>BORDER =

</B></FONT></DIV><BR><!-- HEADLINE -->
<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D4>Chuan resolute on worker =

repatriation</FONT></H1>
<H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D4><I>Security cited but changes are=20
mooted</I><BR><BR></FONT></H1>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000>
<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>S</B></FONT>peaking in this northern province =
heavily=20
reliant on Burmese labour, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday =
insisted that=20
all illegal labour will have to be repatriated.</P>
<P>Mr Chuan, who visited to hand out blankets to villagers facing the =
cold, said=20
for security reasons and to prevent social problems the government will =
not=20
change its policy to send illegal foreign workers home.</P>
<P>"It is the same with Thai workers overseas. If they are found to have =
been=20
working illegally in other countries, they are sent back home. It is the =
same=20
policy that we are following," he said.</P>
<P>The government's decision to crack down on illegal Burmese workers, =
on whom=20
the border provinces rely on for labour for their factories, has upset =
the=20
business community. </P>
<P>The decision followed Thailand's economic meltdown, rising social =
problems=20
and crimes connected to Burmese workers, and the seizure of the Burmese =
embassy=20
by Burmese students last October.</P>
<P>Asked if the repatriation policy had proven to be a failure since =
Burmese=20
workers simply sneaked back into Thailand, Mr Chuan said that reports =
from=20
officials in charge of securing the policy have indicated progress.</P>
<P>He said that in the past employers thought the government would relax =
the=20
policy and rehired workers who sneaked back. However, when it became =
clear the=20
government was serious about the issue, employers were now reluctant to =
hire=20
foreign labour.</P>
<P>However, he said that in the future, the private sector will need =
legal=20
foreign labour-and consequently the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry =
has been=20
ordered to study the issue.</P>
<P>"If there are no Thais to fill the job vacancies, employers could =
tell the=20
Labour Ministry how much foreign labour they need, in what type of jobs =
and how=20
long they will be hired. But they will also have to say how, in the long =
term,=20
they plan to use Thai labour to replace foreign labour," he said.</P>
<P>He added the government was considering a proposal to allow Burmese =
workers=20
to use border passes to come to work in Thailand on a daily=20
basis.</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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