by Usa Pichai
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 15:58
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - The government of Thailand has extend the registration of migrant workers only for the fishery industry, even as workers are worried that the nationality verification process would mean problems for them in Thailand.
Phumin Leethiraprasert, Deputy Spokesperson, Government House of Thailand said in a press conference on Tuesday that the Thai cabinet has agreed to extend the registration period for migrant workers in the fishery industry from the end of July to September 30.
“The number of currently registered migrant workers in the fishery industry is the lowest because many more are on fishing boats that could not return to shore to register on time,” he said.
The statistics of registered workers with the Ministry of Labour is 848,328 (1st – 26th July, 2009). Registration for other sectors apart from the fishery will be concluded on the 30 July. The number of total migrants from neighbouring countries in Thailand is about 2 million.
On Monday, Rak Thai Foundation organized a seminar in Bangkok to discuss the recent migrant workers registration by the Thai government.
Promboon Panichpak, General Secretary of Rak Thai Foundation said that Thai government should extend the registration period because many workers cannot meet the deadline of July end.
“In addition, the authorities did not open registration for followers [worker’s family members], particularly migrant children, which is expected to be more than 100,000 in Thailand. These children are in the high risk group being victims of human traffickers or labour abuse,” he said.
Yongyuth Chalaemwong, Director of Labour Research and Development Department, Thailand Development and Research Institute said that 800,000 migrant workers, who are currently in Thailand provide economically benefit cost of about 63, 000 million baht [1,900 million US$ ] while only 16,000 million baht [484 million US$ ] has been remitted to their families in Burma.
Recently, Thai and Burmese governments agreed to cooperate to process nationality verification for Burmese migrants in three major official border towns; Mae Sot, Thachilek and Kah Thong. Authorities will issue passport and visa.
Narirat Lilapant, an employer in Phuket province told Mizzima that the registration is confusing and covers only eight months (valid till February 2010). “It is complicated both in terms of nationality verification and migrant registration and the government may change the policy again next year.”
Noun, a Shan migrant worker in Chiang Mai province said that she just paid several thousand that she borrowed from her friend for the registration. “My employer refused to pay for me because he is not sure that I may move to work in other places.”
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
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