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The BurmaNet News - 4 March, 1998



------------------------------ BurmaNet -----------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies
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The BurmaNet News, 4 March, 1998
Issue #948

Noted in passing: 

"I'm afraid to lose this job. I have a son and parents (in Burma) to take 
care of. "-- La-ou, an illegal immigrant from Burma.
(see BKK POST: RIGHTS AND WRONGS OF REPATRIATION)

HEADLINES:
==========
AFTENPOSTEN: SUU KYI ASKS FOR A BOYCOTT OF BURMA
THE NATION: JAPAN SENDS WRONG SIGNAL TO BURMA
THE NATION: KAREN REFUGEES MOVED
THE NATION / PEOPLE WATCH
BKK POST: FIRMS ARE LYING ABOUT RIGHTS, SAYS OFFICIAL

Illegal Worker Repatriation Special --
THE NATION: CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL LABOUR
BKK POST / PERSPECTIVE: MAE SOT IN DILEMMA OVER
BKK POST: RIGHTS AND WRONGS OF REPATRIATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

AFTENPOSTEN: SUU KYI ASKS FOR A BOYCOTT OF BURMA
26February, 1998 [translated from Norwegian)
By Gunnar Filseth

Boycott the junta, help the Burma-refugees, urges the Nobel Prize 
Laureate in a conversation with Gunnar Stålsett.

An international boycott would be the best instrument to exercise 
pressure on the military regime and get the situation moved out of the 
stalemate that Burma is facing presently.

This is the opinion of the Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, talking 
to Gunnar Stålsett, president of the board of the Norwegian Church Aid 
and member of the Nobel Committee. 

Stålsett has just returned from a trip to Burma and to the areas in Laos 
and Thailand where the Norwegian Church Aid is presently running projects. 

It is now very difficult to meet with Suu Kyi, who again is being 
subjected to some kind of house arrest with strict restrictions. Thanks 
to a "special contact", whom Stålsett does not want to name, he was 
able to meet the Peace Prize winner from 1991. 

Will a boycott make the situation worse for the ordinary people in 
Burma? People suffer, but most of them are not connected to the 
official economy. 
- The poor people will neither suffer more, nor less because of a 
boycott, is the reply. 
- The world community is doing too little to support the democratic 
forces in Burma. It is about time that one starts taking the UN 
resolutions concerning Burma seriously, is the opinion of Aung San 
Suu Kyi. The country is now in a critical economic situation, partly 
as a result of the Asian financial crisis. A boycott could therefore 
become more efficient. 

The junta recently changed its name to the State Peace and Development
Council, but is pursuing the same oppression as before, with arrests 
of dissidents, torture, extrajudicial executions and moving people 
away from their traditional village communities "for security reasons". 

Norwegian doubts
Norway has expressed its skepticism to a possible Burma-boycott. 
Minister for human rights and development, Mrs. Hilde Frafjord 
Johnson expressed in the Parliament earlier this month that it would
not be conventient for Norway to implement a boycott on its own. 
Aung San Suu Kyi thinks a boycott would be the proper way of acting, 
with important players such as the US and EU in the forefront. Without
international pressure she sees no possibility in getting the junta 
to agree on negotiations for a political solution. 

She also urged for a stronger engagement from the world community for 
the Burmese refugees and displaced people, who are in a more difficult 
position today than ever before. This is especially true for the about 
300 000 internally displaced refugees who are mostly members of the 
Karen ethnic minority and who have been forced to move from their 
homes during fighting between the Army and the Karen guerilla for the 
last couple of years. Many live in big distress, and the Norwegian Church 
Aid will consider starting emergency aid together with Burma exile 
organisations. 

Stålsett also brought a message from the Nobel Committee. The Committee 
hopes it will be possible for Suu Kyi to come to Norway soon to give 
her Nobel acceptance speech. But the Committee also understands that she 
has to wait until she can be sure that she can return to Burma 
afterwards. 

Aung San Suu Kyi replied that Norway has a very special place in her 
heart, and one thing is sure: When she can travel from Burma some time, 
Norway will be the first country she will visit. 

*******************************************************

THE NATION: JAPAN SENDS WRONG SIGNAL TO BURMA
2 March, 1998 [abridged]
by Kavi Chongkittavorn

As one of the world's most powerful economic actors, Japan has
been trying to boost its political clout with its own policy
initiatives on regional issues in the hope that its role will be
respected and considered a factor to be reckoned with in
constructing a new Asian order.

Japan has been active in two key political issues, the peace
process in Cambodia and the political deadlock in Burma, but the
success of the Japanese-sponsored truce initiative in Cambodia
stands in stark contrast to Tokyo's plan to provide the Burmese
regime with US$20 million to repair the runway of Rangoon's
international airport.

Under close scrutiny, Japan's diplomacy towards these troubled
countries reveals both  strength and weakness. It also displays
at least three common characteristics.

First, Japan is predisposed to support the powers that be, those
who are in defacto control of the administration of the country
or territory regardless of their political legitimacy.

In Rangoon, the Japanese Embassy is considered the most important
and influential diplomatic mission. Japanese diplomats there have
greater access to the junta's highest leaders than has any
Western country. They know the ins and outs of the ruling State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

No doubt the promotion of dialogue and national reconciliation is
a prominent theme in Japan's diplomacy towards Cambodia and
Burma, but while Tokyo pressure has yielded a positive outcome in
bringing together rival leaders Hun Sen and Prince Ranariddh
Norodom, its efforts in Rangoon have yet to produce any tangible
results.

Last year Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto wrote to the
Burmese junta's leader to enhance their personal ties and urge
the military to open dialogue with the opposition National
League of Democracy: the Burmese leader did not respond.

In Burma, while Japan has indeed called for dialogue between the
junta and the opposition, it has nevertheless continued to
maintain close ties with the junta's leaders, especially  power
First Secretary Khin Nyunt. Now, even without any progress in the
political dialogue or general improvement in democratisation,
Tokyo is set to renew aid to the junta.

Such a plan has drawn criticism from some in Japan's ruling
Liberal Democratic Party, who have expressed disappointment over
the planned assistance to Burma. The Diet is planning to discuss
the issue this week. Tokyo argues that aid to mend the
dilapidated runway is a humanitarian act, but as a justification
this is a bit self-serving.

Finally, given its financial clout, there is a tendency for Japan
to heftily reward Cambodia and Burma for any action or response
it deems positive or which supports its regional diplomatic
strategy.

In this case, Hun Sen has been the largest beneficiary. He had
secured Japan's assistance in aiding the upcoming  electoral
process long before the European Union made its move to grant
financial assistance in January.

One wonders what Japan has in mind with a view to letting aid to
Burma begin to flow again. Japan has told the junta that it will
reward any constructive move on the latter's part. It is possible
that there could be some positive development which cannot be
revealed at this time, enough to warrant Japan's pushing for a
resumption in aid.

In the final analysis both Cambodia and Burma are pivotal to
Japan's diplomacy and its strategic interest in maintaining peace
and stability, but looking beyond that, it is Tokyo's desire to
contain China's growing influence in these two volatile
countries.

Japan's main strategy in Burma is to engage its leaders and opens
a channel of communication. It hopes that it can continue to
exert pressure on them to open dialogue with the opposition. This
mild form of carrot-and-stick policy has benefitted the junta. If
the  $20-million package gets through, the cash-starved regime
will benefit, so will the Japanese contractors.

To be fair, Japan diplomacy is gaining ground in Cambodia, but
the real test will be its influence in Burma. Giving aid now
would send a wrong signal to Burma, which could only tarnish
Japan's image and affect its chances of bidding for a permanent
UN Security Council seat. 

************************************************************

THE NATION: KAREN REFUGEES MOVED
3 March, 1998

AFP -- THE first of some 10,000 Karen refugees yesterday began 
moving to a new camp in western Thailand after an apparent 
breakthrough in deadlocked negotiations with the Thai authorities, 
border sources said.

Around 1,600 people from 400 families began the 80-kilometre trek 
to their new home further inside Thai territory. after a
three-week stand off with military and provincial officials, the
sources said.

"They began moving out of two camps on trucks in the morning,
after agreeing to shift to the new camp, one source said.

"It's not clear yet exactly why they have finally agreed, perhaps
they are overcoming initial fears and uncertainties as the
pressure on them grows," an aid worker said.

Provincial officials however said only 250 refugees had begun
shifting from one of the four camps in Mae Hong Son targeted for
removal.

Military sources also said an unspecified number of refugees had
requested that they be allowed to return to Burma instead of
moving to a new camp. 

************************************************************

THE NATION / PEOPLE WATCH
3 March, 1998

Five months after currency speculator George Soros allegedly
attacked the baht to punish Thailand for its "constructive
engagement"  policy towards Burma, an official from his
philanthropic Open Society was spotted in the Karen National
Union's jungle base near the Thai border. He was there to observe
a ceremony last month to mark KNU's army day. 

The ethnic insurgents are the last remaining armed rebel group
which refused to enter into a ceasefire deal with Rangoon.
Reporters did not know who the man was. After all, he did not
look any different from the other representatives of
non-governmental agencies who joined the trip to the KNU base.
Eventually, however, his identity was known, and he was asked
whether Soros would soon come to Thailand, especially after his
visits to South Korea recently.

**********************************************************

BKK POST: FIRMS ARE LYING ABOUT RIGHTS, SAYS OFFICIAL
2 March, 1998 
by Chakrit Ridmontri

NO LICENCES GRANTED BY BURMESE AFTER 1993

Thai companies which claimed to have licences to import logs from
Burma after the border was sealed in 1993 are believed to be
lying since Burmese authorities have not granted concession after
that, a senior Foreign Ministry official said yesterday.

"As far as the ministry is concerned, the Burmese government
revoked all logging concession  contracts with Thai companies
since 1993, so importing logs from Burma during this period of
time is questionable," said the official who requested anonymity.

The Burmese government recently informed the ministry that it
just granted four Thai companies to tender bids for purchasing
logs from Burma last year.

They include Thai Sawat Co, Phol Phana Co, B&F Goodrich Co and
Thai Korean Veteran Welfare Co.

However, the logs that these companies claimed to have purchased
from Burma still remain on the Burmese side. The Interior
Ministry has yet to allow them to open the temporary border
passes for carrying logs.

During July 1996 to 1997, the ministry was informed that Scabee
Company was also allowed to bring a batch of logs from Burma
through a border pass in Mae Hong Son.        

The company had a logging concession in Burma since 1986 but
could not carry logs into the country because the Thai authority
charged the company with falsifying import documents.

But it won a case against the government, causing officials
concerned to open the border pass for the company.
     
"I could say that both the Burmese government and the Thai
embassy in Rangoon have verified that only these four companies
plus the Scabee Co are officially allowed to import logs from 
Burma after 1993," said the official.

However, the ministry's information contradicts a report of the
Forestry Department, which states that apart from Scabee, two
more companies are allowed to import logs from Burma.

They are Thai Veneer Industrial 999 Co and SPA Rich Wood  Co.

These companies brought the logs into Thailand during January to
February last year through four temporary border passes in Mae
Hong Son.

The Thai Veneer carried the logs through a border pass in Ban Sao
Hin in Mae Sariang district and the SPA used three border passes
in Ban Nam Piang Din and Ban Huay Phueng in Muang district, and
Ban Sao Hin in Mae Sariang district.

There is no explanation from the department about the two-
companies but it says they have all official documents indicating
the logs originated in Burma.

The official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is
possible that importers could bring in logs from Burma without
any approval from the Burmese authorities if the deal is between
the private sector.

After the Thai firms had purchased logs from Burmese partners,
they could ask the Interior Ministry to approve an opening of a
temporary border pass for bringing the logs into-the country.

The ministry would consult with the border committee before
making decision. The committee comprises the National Security
Council, forestry and customs officials, provincial
administration officials, border police and army.

But the Customs Department argued that all border passes which
are used for carrying imported logs were closed since July 1997.

It is also impossible that Thai companies would make the timber
trade deal with Burmese private firms. Only two official
agencies of Burma are authorised to approve any logging deal with
foreign companies, said an executive at Phol Phana Co.

*********************************************************

THE NATION: CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL LABOUR
3 March, 1998 

ILLEGAL foreign workers in nine sectors must be repatriated by
the end of April or face eight years imprisonment and a fine of
up to Bt110,000, Labour Minister Trairong Suwankhiri said
yesterday.

The nine sectors include the service sector, transport, commerce,
textile, garment, food, chemical, wood and wood by products, paper
and publishing.

The workers will have from March 15 to April 30 to leave, after
which the authorities will begin cracking down.

Those arrested on charges of illegally entering the country or
violating the Immigration Act are liable to five years
imprisonment and a Bt50,000 fine, while those transgressing the
Foreign Workers Work Act will be subjected to a three years
imprisonment and a Bt60,000 fine. Foreign workers, however, might
be allowed to continue working in the fishing industry in 13
border provinces including Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, ,
Kanchanaburi, Ranong, Chanthaburi Trad, Sa Kaew, Mukdahan, Nakhon
Phanom, Nong Khai, and Surin.

The ministry has opened a post box, PO Box 123 Pathumwan,
Bangkok, 10000, to receive complaints about illegal foreign
workers.

*************************************************************

BKK POST / PERSPECTIVE: MAE SOT IN DILEMMA OVER DEPORTATION
1 March, 1998
by Supamart Kasem & Songpol Kaopatumtip

OPINION IS DIVIDED OVER ILLEGAL FOREIGN WORKERS. SOME SAY THEY 
PROVIDE LOW-COST LABOUR THAT KEEPS THAI FIRMS COMPETITIVE, 
WHEREAS OTHERS ARGUE THEY TAKE JOBS FROM CASH-STRAPPED THAI 
NATIONALS.

Like their colleagues in many other border towns, government
officials and business operators in Mae Sot district of Tak are
in a dilemma over the presence of illegal workers.

The Labour and Social Welfare Ministry wants to expel them to
free up jobs for slump-hit Thais. They are backed by security
authorities who see the influx of migrant workers as a threat to
national security. Many business operators, however, see the need
to maintain foreign workers who are tough and "obedient" manual
labourers.

The issue drew a lengthy debate at a meeting of public and
private sector representatives in Mae Sot on February 18.

Voicing her support for the government's plan to deport foreign
workers, Tak provincial job recruitment official Jirapa
Ngarmvivit said 30,000 Burmese are still illegally employed by at
least 200 Thai entrepreneurs in the northern province. They work
in garment, canned food and souvenir factories in several
districts, including Mae Sot which borders the Burmese town of
Myawaddy.

About 25,000 of these workers are not eligible for work permits,
she said. The rest were granted work permits which have already
expired.

Because of the economic crisis, a large number of Thais are now
jobless. But many businesses are still hiring Burmese workers,
both legally and illegally, said Miss Jirapa. "It is the
government's policy to deport these Burmese workers and replace
them with Thais."

Tak Federation of Industries president Suchart Wisuwan said most
local entrepreneurs wanted to hire Thai workers but not many
Thais were interested in doing the jobs.

When the federation and Tak provincial authorities organised a
job bazaar in Mae Sot in May last year, only about 500 Thai
job-seekers came to apply. Of these, only 100 turned up for an
interview. Eventually, only 50 got the jobs. The rest were not
satisfied with the work and salaries offered by employers.

"Local entrepreneurs have been trying to recruit Thai workers but
it seems that no one is interested," he complained.

Mr Suchart urged the Government to postpone the deportation order
until local entrepreneurs can find enough Thai workers to replace
the Burmese. 

Many factories in Tak export their goods worth 500-600 million
baht to Europe, America and Asia annually.

"If all the Burmese workers are deported now, the factories will
be forced to shut down," he said.

Miss Jirapa, however, said local entrepreneurs were not keen to
accept Thai workers because they would have to pay them the
minimum daily wage of 130 baht. The Burmese are willing to do the
same jobs for 50-60 baht a day because they cannot find work in
their own country, she said.

Her remark was countered by Mr Niyom Waiyaratpanich, a member of
Tak Chamber of Commerce, who said several Thai entrepreneurs paid
their Burmese workers more than the legal minimum wage. The
Burmese may receive low pay when they were first employed, but
the wage is increased as they become more experienced, he said.

As a gesture of compromise, Tak Governor Phongphayom Wasapooti
said after the meeting that the government crackdown would now
focus on unregistered migrant workers "who may cause problems" in
the country. 

Migrant workers "who contribute to the economy" would be the last
to be deported, he added.

At the same time, the Federation of Industries will organise
another job bazaar in all districts of Tak on March 6. Local
entrepreneurs will be encouraged to replace Burmese workers with
Thais.

STILL WATER RUNS DEEP
Long before the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge was opened last 
year, Mae Sot residents and their Burmese counterparts in Myawaddy 
had engaged in trade and other activities for decades. The Moei River, 
the natural border boundary, posed no obstacle to cross-border contacts.

It was not uncommon for Burmese to cross the river to Mae Sot in
search of odd jobs after the harvest season. They helped fill
back-breaking jobs that had long been spurned by more prosperous
Thai workers. The income helped relieve the hardships of Burmese
in Myawaddy and nearby towns. This mutual help went almost
unnoticed and, in fact, it was considered a tradition of sort for
people living on both sides of the river.

All this changed with Thailand's economic boom in the 1980s,
which prompted an influx of migrant workers from Burma. They
filled a vacuum left by 300,000-400,000 Thais who went to work
abroad. It was a prosperous time for both Thai and Burmese
workers. But it caused an adverse effect as well.

As the demand for foreign labour grew, the spirit of mutual help 
weakened. Job placement agencies sprouted up in Mae Sot and other
border towns to recruit Burmese workers for Thai business
operators around the country.

This was followed by the birth of criminal rackets which smuggled 
migrant workers into the country. Each migrant worker was charged 
between 2,500-5,000 baht for a trip to factories in Bangkok or 
construction sites in the provinces.

Corrupt government officials joined the fray by extorting money
from illegal workers caught during the trip from the border or on
their way home after a year or two in Thailand. Many Burmese
workers reportedly lost all their money in surprise raids by
government officials.

The problem gave birth to yet another lucrative business: money
transfer through commercial banks. Under the deal the broker
would collect money from the worker at his workplace and transfer
it to a bank branch in Mae Sot. The worker's friend or relative
would then withdraw money from the bank. The broker would deduct
a fee amounting to 3-5 percent of the transferred money.

HOMEWARD-BOUND
A recent report from the Tak Federation of Industries estimated 
that between 80,000-100,000 illegal Burmese workers have returned 
home through the immigration checkpoint in Mae Sot since the end 
of last year. These workers were laid off by debt-ridden Thai 
employers in Bangkok and other provinces. Before they crossed the 
border, many of the Burmese were hired to do temporary work in farms,
plantations, households and shops.

Thai authorities are concerned about the presence of these
migrant workers. Apart from social and security problems, the
authorities are worried about its impact on the environment and
public health.

At a meeting of local officials in Mae Sot in October last year,
chaired by Naresuan task force commander Maj-Gen Chalor
Thongsala, a preliminary plan was mapped out to cope with the
situation.

While their jobless colleagues were returning home, a large
number of Burmese sneaked across the border into Thailand. This
prompted Thai authorities to launch a crackdown on illegal
foreign workers in Mae Sot, Mae Ramat, Tha Song Yang, Phob Phra
and Umphang districts of Tak. A total of 3,655 newly arrived
migrants were arrested and this prompted other Burmese to return
home voluntarily.

Yet, about 30,000 are still employed by Thai entrepreneurs in
Tak. Their fate depends on the power and persuasion of the local
Federation of Industries and Chamber of Commerce, which recently
came up with a six-point proposal:

1. Deportation of illegal foreign workers should continue.

2. Foreign workers could be employed in border provinces,
provinces that rely on fisheries and certain other provinces on a
case-by-case basis.

3. Increase the number of jobs allowed for foreign workers from
11 to 27.

4. Set up more industrial plants in border provinces to absorb
foreign workers from inner provinces.

5. Joint-venture projects be set up in neighbouring countries to 
encourage foreign workers to return home.

6. A sub-committee be set up to handle employment of foreign
workers in each province in accordance with local needs.

TIME TO RETHINK?
It's natural that illegal foreign workers are victimised as Thais are
losing jobs due to the economic downturn. But a recent opinion poll 
by the Rajjabhat Institute's Suan Dusit campus showed no consensus 
among Thai companies over the deportation of foreign  workers.

The survey of 538 employers in the industrial sector and in
service industries in Bangkok showed that 56 percent supported
the deportation. 

Thirty percent of respondents disagreed, saying it would be hard
to find replacement workers and that the higher cost of employing
locals would be bad for business.

Some 57 percent of the employers said their main reason for
hiring aliens in the first place was the fact that they offered a
cheap labour alternative, while 29 percent said they liked the
"obedience" of foreign workers.

In January, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said one
million foreign workers would have to go home as Kuala Lumpur
grappled with its own economic crisis. But a week later, he
assured Indonesian President Suharto that he would not worsen
Indonesia's economic crisis by sending home all its workers in
Malaysia.

Labour experts say Thailand may have to rethink its deportation
policy as well. The issue does not involve only the economy, but
bilateral relations and mutual friendship between Thais and
neighbours.

In the long-term, they say, the Government must adopt a clear-cut
policy on foreign labour.

Last week, as another batch of Burmese workers arrived in Mae
Sot, a debate was still going on about the deportation policy.
And for many returnees, the experience in Thailand was not all
rosy.

Soe Win Naing, a 21-year-old worker from Karen State, lost his
manual job after the Thai employer closed his business in
Bangkok.

"He refused to pay my 4,000 baht salary," the young immigrant
said bitterly. "And I had to fork out 500 baht here for my safe
return home." 

*******************************************************

BKK POST: RIGHTS AND WRONGS OF REPATRIATION
1 March, 1998
'Sunday Perspective' reporters

QUANDARY: THE THAI GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO DEPORT 300,000 ILLEGAL 
ALIEN WORKERS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS IS A TWO-EDGED SWORD. 
THE FAVOURABLE EFFECT IS JOB OPENINGS FOR NATIONALS. THE UNFAVOURABLE
EFFECT IS AN INCREASE IN LABOUR SHORTAGES IN SECTORS SHUNNED BY THAIS.

While the world is still asleep, widow La-ou, 35, wakes up and
takes a quiet bath to prepare herself for another working day. By
the time the sun breaks over the sky, she is ready for the tasks
ahead.

An hour before work time, La-ou is already waiting at a small
tourist resort outside Kanchanaburi. When the workers arrive at
the office of her Thai employer, she stands unobtrusively at one
side.

The boss would see neither boredom nor fatigue on her face. She
would follow orders promptly, whether it be cleaning, washing,
trimming the grass or other heavier tasks. 

After work, when the Thai workers have all gone home, La-ou is
still around looking for something else to be done. She would not
return home until the boss asks her to do so, an hour or two
later.

No wonder people think that she is a diligent and reliable
worker.

But she is not an exemplary Thai worker. Neither character, nor
culture, nor work ethic drives her.

La-ou is an illegal immigrant from Burma. 

What drives her is fear.

OPENING SALVO
In a talk with Sunday Perspective, La-ou said in broken Thai, "I'm 
afraid to lose this job. I have a son and parents (in Burma) to take 
care of. "

As an illegal migrant worker, she has every reason to fear.

On January 19, the Thai Government set an action plan to ease 
unemployment among the Thais. 

Less than a month later, 29,412 illegal workers were dismissed
and  replaced by Thais. 

Official sources reveal that the illegal workers are mostly
Burmese working in Kanchanaburi, Tak, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai,
Ranong and other border provinces.

The Labour and Social Welfare Ministry continues to confer with 
employers and convince them to terminate the employment of
unskilled, illegal workers. Thai authorities pledge to find Thai
workers as replacements.

By this week, Sunday Perspective learned that Thai employers are
ready to dismiss another 15,000 Burmese labourers.

The National Committee on Employment chaired by Prime Minister
Chuan Leekpai has announced that the Government will deport about
300,000 illegal alien labourers over the next six months. 

BREATHING SPACE
La-ou and many unskilled alien workers told Sunday Perspective that 
they could do nothing but try and hold on to their jobs as long as they 
can. "If we lose our jobs here, we would starve," they said.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare claims that there are
at least one million illegal immigrants engaged in unskilled
labour or in low-skill jobs in Thailand.

About 300,000 have registered and have received temporary work
permits under the programme formed by Cabinet resolution in 1996.
These registered alien workers would not be immediately affected
by the repatriation programme, which aims to send home 300,000
illegal labourers.

This gives the immigrants a breathing space of two years, but
does not grant them alien residency status; they are still
illegal immigrants. 

The resolution applies only to illegal immigrants from Burma,
Laos and Cambodia.

However, Thailand teems with illegal immigrants from China,
Vietnam, Bangladesh and other countries including India and the
Philippines, mostly in low-skilled jobs.

There is no clear explanation why the temporary legalisation of 
employment was limited to the Burmese, the Laotians and the
Cambodians. 

Ranking labour officials said that these three nationalities
number most in Thailand. 

"Another reason is that most of them aim to proceed to third
countries, not to work here," said a labour department source.

These illegal immigrants are in transit and will leave for
another country using fake documents.

Sunday Perspective learned that most illegal immigrants enter
Thailand on their own. Some come in with the help of others,
including human smuggling groups. The latter group brings in
children or women, usually employed by force or voluntarily in
prostitution or as professional beggars. Others go into
agricultural or construction work. 

Those who arrive here on their own generally find unskilled jobs
with wages below the legal minimum. 

HANDLING THE PROBLEM
A decade back, illegal immigrants left their home countries for 
political reasons, including internal warfare. Later, however, the 
reasons were more economic.

"On hindsight, if job-hunting had a system, we would not have had
this problem," said a ranking official at the Labour and Social
Welfare Ministry.

At the moment, Thailand has to bear an increasing influx of job
seekers with neither screening nor control systems in place. As a
result, security officials foresee possible problems of national
security, while other government officers foresee social and
economic problems arising.

Nevertheless, the Cabinet resolution of 25 June 1996 reflected
one fact about Thailand, which is that there is a labour
shortage.

The past decade saw the increasing complexity of the illegal
worker problem, with more and more government agencies involved
in the handling and solving of the various problems that arose.

The agencies include the National Security Council (NSC) on the
national policy making level. Other agencies on the operations
level are the Interior Ministry's Local Administration
Department, the Immigration Office, the Labour and Social Welfare
Ministry, as well as the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

After discussions among these agencies, the government saw the 
importance of upholding national security, taking into account
the needs of foreign labour and not neglecting protection and
human rights. This was drawn up into a national policy, resulting
in the 25 June Cabinet resolution in 1996. The resolution calls
for the registration of all illegal unskilled workers. This will
help the authorities monitor their movements, ease the labour
shortage, and legalise their employment. Only 300,000 illegal
immigrants registered with the labour authorities get temporary
work permits.

One suspected reason is costs. Employers are required to pay a
guarantee fee of 1,000 baht per employee. Each labourer is
required to have a health examination costing 500 baht, and buy a
registration card costing 1,000 baht.

NEW POLICY
Due to economic changes and the soaring unemployment rate, 
the government issued another labour policy on 19 January:
Illegal and unskilled workers must leave the country in order to
reserve jobs for unemployed Thais.

In the first six months (from 19 January), the Government expects
to generate 300,000 jobs from for Thais, and the same number of
illegal workers will lose their jobs and would be deported.

In preparation, the Government allocated 53 million baht for the 
Interior Ministry to set up deportation centres in Tak,
Kanchanaburi, Ranong, and in Chiang Rai.

Before this, however, Thailand has already sent back about 30,000 
illegal immigrants, mostly jobless Burmese.

BLAST FROM BURMA
In Rangoon, Burmese authorities reacted angrily.  Rangoon described
the repatriation of their people from Thailand as "pitiful" and 
accused Bangkok of double standards.

"It is rather pitiful that Myanmar (Burmese) nationals, legal or 
otherwise, once welcomed in Thailand are now being sent back
home," said the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper last
month.

The report accused Thai businessmen of knowingly employing
illegal workers while the Thai authorities turned "a blind eye"
to the issue.

"While millions of Thais seek better-paid jobs outside their
country, Myanmar people go to work at places in Thailand where
Thais do not want to work," the report said.

Thailand defends its right to repatriate illegal workers but
promised to do so in a humanitarian manner.

Losers and winners: Labour analysts say that the repatriation
programme will hurt unskilled workers and their countries.

A state social worker estimates an illegal and unskilled alien
earns an average of 3,000 baht a month. An unskilled Thai earns
6,700 baht a month under the minimum wage requirement.

A sex worker earns an average of 5,000 baht a month.

"In exceptional cases a sex worker may earn up to 50,000 baht a
month, tax free," the source said.

A source in a commercial bank in Chiang Mai and Lampang told Sun
day Perspective that girls in the sex industry send home up to
15,000 baht a month.

Presuming that 50 percent of the illegal immigrants send home a
third of their earnings at the average of 3,000 baht, "the
outflow is so huge already," he said.

Authorities estimate that the 500,000 illegal immigrants save up
to 500 million baht a month or 6,000 million baht a year, flowing
out of the country via underground routes.

On the other hand, others in the human rights movement view alien 
workers as losing more than they gain.

"They make money, but it is comparatively small. With or without
a work permit, they have never been protected by the law," one
source said. 

"These people couldn't demand minimal wages. They could not claim
any type of public welfare." Those who are sick simply leave or
die.

Despite the debate, illegal workers now have little time to earn
or endure the ill treatment in Thailand. 

As Thailand looks ahead to save money, neighbouring countries
with illegal workers here will feel the pinch.

However, the pinch will be felt most by Thai business operators
who have been enjoying cheap labour.

These businesses paid the illegal immigrants half of what Thai
workers received. A business operator could save about 3,350 baht
a month per illegal immigrant.

Granting that half of the estimated one million illegal
immigrants were employed, these businesses save as much as 1,675
million baht a month or 20,000 million baht a year. Following the
new repatriation policy, business costs will rise and so will
prices. Aggravating the situation is that certain jobs have
always been refused by Thais.

Still, Thai workers have been heard to complain that they have
been losing job opportunities to illegal alien workers. 

In random interviews with villagers at border towns such as
Kanchanaburi and Ranong, Sunday Perspec tive recently learned
that Thais have not been getting along well with the illegal
immigrants.

In Kanchanaburi, people speak of frequent street fights between
illegal workers and Thais. Thais claim that these incidents start
from "bad people" from outside of the border.

They claim "feeling unsafe" and mention crimes committed by some
of these "bad people."

They reminded Sunday Perspective of cases of robberies and
murders allegedly committed by "these people" who run to hide
outside the border.

Will the repatriation programme make these Thais feel happier and
safer?

Thais have also been long complaining of public funds allocated
to social welfare, public facilities and public utilities that
have been used by illegal immigrants.

One Public Health Ministry official told the press that illegal 
immigrants' medical expenses cost the ministry as much as 100
million baht a year.

"That's just the medical part," he said.

Will the repatriation policy truly save Thailand a lot of money? 

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