Bangkok post (1/6/98)news

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

News heahlines
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1:) Burmese workers keep crossing Thai border
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Burmese workers keep crossing Thai border

The influx creates a great opportunity to unscrupulous Burmese official and
Thai syndicates to earn some easy money

As the government starts rounding up and deporting illegal immigrant
workers, an estimated 1,000 Burmese still make their way across the border
each day here to find work in Mae Sot, and hopefully in Bangkok and central
provinces.
	Informed sources said this seemingly endless influx in the face of
Thailand's economic woes and closure of the Myawaddy-Mae Sot checkpoint by
the Burmese in mid-April has presented a great opportunity to unscrupulous
Burmese officials and well-connected Thai syndicates to earn some easy money.
	These corrupt Burmese officials charge workers 200-500 kyats per head to
let them through, while Thai syndicates demand 3,000-5,000 baht to bring
them to Bangkok or other provinces outside Tak, sources said.
	No concrete evidence can be found to suggest that the two groups are
colluding, but each obviously know the other's activities and enjoy the
mutual benefit.
	The sources estimate that half these workers, mostly from Burma's ethnic
minority groups, cross the border daily to work as labourers and return in
the evening, but the other half opt for the risky road to Bangkok and other
provinces, hoping to find higher-paying jobs.
	The sources said few of the workers seeking jobs outside Tak succeed as
the syndicates usually fail to deliver after pocketing the fee. "Many are
abandoned along the Mae Sot-Tak highway or other roads. Sometimes these
gangs internationally run into police checkpoints and the workers are
arrested and sent back," they said.
	Pol Capt Preecha Suwanronasorn, an inspector of the Immigration Police in
Mae Sot has a lower estimate of the daily influx of 600-7-workers.
	"All are illegal of course because Burmese authorities have closed its
side of the border," he said.
	An informed observer pointed out that a number of factors in both Burma
and Thailand were making it impossible to stop Burmese workers from leaving
their homes and for Thai authorities to absorb jobless Thais.
	Firsr, the " push factor" on the Burmese side remains. The political
situation under the Burmese military government in Rangoon whose focus is
said to have changed from "restoring law and order" to establishing "peace
and development" still guarantees no safety for ethnic minority groups.
	There is no work for them and supplies of consumer goods are limited in
markets.
	Second, Thai authorities have not reciprocated when their Burmese
counterparts closed their side of the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border simply
because the Thai private sector still needs cheap labour.
	Tak governor Huekharn Tomorasak responded by announcing a measure to
"temporarily" allow these Burmese workers to cross into Thailand to buy
supplies between 6 a.m to 6 p.m.
	Pol Capt Preecha said the governor made the decision following a meeting
on May 13 with the Tak Chamber of Commerce.
	He admitted the authorities knew of the presence of illegal workers in
certain factories, but we not taking legal action because it would affect
the governments export promotion drive.
	Third, the Chuan Leekpai government has been clear on its policy to deport
illegal workers to make way for jobless Thais. May 1 was the deadline for
voluntary repatriation but implementation measures remain unclear.
	Prior to May 1, Thailand allowed unskilled foreign workers from
neighbouring countries to be employed in 13 northern and 22 coastal provinces.
	In Mae Sot alone, there are 8,072 registered Burmese workers with work
permits in accordance with two cabinet resolutions of March 17, 1992 and
June 25, 1996. In other parts of Tak, there are also 26,150 Burmese workers
employed in over 100 factories making ready-to-wear clothes, canned
vegetables and fruits, dolls and electronic components, according to Pol
Capt Preecha.
	Fourth, it is yet to be proven that jobless Thais are taking up work
previously held by their repatriated foreign counterparts.
	Certain academics dispute a direct correlation. They argue that it is not
so simple, as jobs held by foreign workers are mostly unwanted by Thais
because they are dangerous, physically demanding, dirty and lowly paid.
	Since the government announced its new policy on foreign labour, some
270,000 Burmese have been deported.
Pol Lt-Gen Chidchai Wannasathit, commissioner of the Immigration Police has
ordered that his man facilitate the return of foreign workers employed in
Central Provinces. They are t be assisted to border crossings in Mae Sai,
Chiang Rai; Wienghaeng, Chiang Mai; Muang, Mae Hong Son; and Kraburi,
Rayong. Mostreturn by land, expect in Rayong where they have to take a boat.
	Earlier this month, a traffic accident killed one Burmese worker and
injured over 30 others who were on their way to Mae Sot.
	Aye Naing, 32, a survivor said the two officials escorting them to the
border just disappeared along with the bus driver.
	He said the factory owner in Samut Sakorn who employed them had hired the
bus to take them to the border but before the bus could leave the terminal
uniformed officials boarded the baht as fare.
	But despite all the problems Thailand remains a land of dream and
opportunity for many that face hardships at home.
	Suu Suu is a 23-year-old woman from Pa-an in central Karen State. She and
her cousin arrived in Mae Sot last week. Each paid 500 kyats to cross the
border and Suu Suu paid 3,000 baht more come to Bangkok.
	"There were others who went with Suu Suu. I can't say for sure she managed
to get to Bangkok safety and found the work she hoped for, I haven't heard
from her since we split here in Mae Sot," Suu Suu's cousin said.

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