Police to target hiring of illegals

[nyeinchan@xxxxxxxx]

The Nation (24 November 1997)
Police to target hiring of illegals 

PREECHA SA-ARDSORN 

The Nation 

THE police are to take action against employers who hire illegal workers,
Immigrant Division Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Chidchai Wanasathit said
yesterday. 

Chidchai said the law must be enforced. Police have to take action
because of the rising number of crimes committed by illegal workers. 

''There are only about 350,000 illegal workers registered with the
authorities. However, there are more than 400,000 that have not reported
to officials," he said. 

Chidchai said murder is the most common crime committed by these workers,
while the crimes involve both employers and the illegal workers. 

According to Chidchai, the Chinese are usually robbed and then killed by
their own countrymen while Burmese and Lao illegals normally tend to
target their employers. 

It is difficult for police to arrest culprits because they can easily
escape from Thailand and return to their homeland. 

''It's difficult for us to detain them because our country shares long
borders with Burma, Laos and Cambodia. As for China, we have received
good cooperation from the authorities there but are still suffering some
problems," he said. 

As a result, Chidchai said that enforcing the law against local employers
should be the most efficient way of dealing with the issue. 

Apart from facing a criminal suit, suspected employers will also be
liable to meet the expenses of returning such illegals back home. 

Chidchai acknowledged that some politicians and people in uniform were
involved in the illicit trade. ''It must be stopped. We have already
taken action against at least four officers who were found to be taking
part in this activity," he said. 

Chidchai said he will cooperate with border patrols and the provincial
police as well as the Central Investigation Bureau to monitor the illegal
entry of foreign workers, especially in the Ranong, Kanchanaburi, Tak
Chiang Rai and Sa Kaew areas. 

In the meantime, he is working on driving home his message to employers
on the negative impact of hiring such workers. 

''It's no different from a threat to national security," he claimed.