NEWS - LABOUR / ILLEGAL FOREIGN WOR

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Subject: NEWS - LABOUR / ILLEGAL FOREIGN WORKERS

BANGKOK POST - July 19, 1999

LABOUR / ILLEGAL FOREIGN WORKERS

Failed policies being recycled
Buck-passing won't solve problem, say experts

Post Reporters

Labour experts do not share the government's optimism that solving the
problem of illegal foreign workers can simply be passed on to local
authorities.

There is nothing new in the government's decision to ask provincial
authorities to survey local industries to determine which of them still
need
foreigners to fill jobs shunned by Thais, Pundit Thanachaisetthavut, of
the
Arom Pongpa-ngan foundation, said yesterday.

The results of the survey will be given to the sub-committee on illegal
workers, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi.

This committee will decide what action should be taken regarding illegal
workers who are still here after the Aug 4 deadline for them to leave.

If it is deemed necessary, the employment of foreigners by some
enterprises
may be allowed on a case-by-case basis.

Mr Pundit expressed disbelief that this would solve problems relating to
illegal foreign workers.

He attributed the rising number of illegal workers to lack of a clear
government policy and unreadiness by state agencies to deal with the
problem.

Factory operators have been among the top protectors of illegal
immigrants
due to the shortage of domestic sources of labour, he said.

Panithi Tanpati, chairman of the Tak provincial chamber of commerce,
said
previous government efforts had failed to solve the problem at the grass
roots level.

In 1992, the cabinet resolved to allow the hiring of foreign workers in
the
10 border provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Tak,
Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and
Ranong.

Employers were required to register their illegal workers with
provincial
authorities and place 5,000 baht as surety for each employee. However,
registrations fell short of the target, as many employers claimed they
could
not afford the surety. This led to the hiring of illegal workers in many
factories.

An official report stated that 370,000 workers were registered and of
these
290,000 had been granted work permits. It has been estimated that more
than
700,000 foreigners work illegally nationwide.


In 1996, the cabinet resolved to relax regulations in 43 provinces. It
also
reduced the guarantee from 5,000 baht per head to 1,000 baht. The hiring
of
workers was limited to 11 sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries,
construction. livestock and water transportation.

After the extension period expired in the middle of last year, the
Labour
Ministry began moving against illegal workers.

The ministry wanted to expel illegal foreign staff, to free up jobs for
slump-hit Thais. They were backed by security authorities who saw the
influx
of migrant workers as a threat to national security.

Immigration Bureau figures show 300,000 illegal workers, mostly Burmese
and
Cambodian, were arrested and sent home last year.

Sources said the suppression drive against illegal workers to free up
jobs
for Thais during the economic crisis did not guarantee that jobless
Thais
would fill the vacancies.

Most work undertaken by illegal foreigners is poorly-paid.

Despite the drastic crackdown by Thai authorities, illegal immigrants
still
came across the border to work in factories that had labour shortages.

Wasant Sathorn, an employment official in Kanchanaburi, said unclear
policies have created opportunities for gangs to bring in illegal
workers to
supply the Thai labour market.

An estimated 100-200 workers, mostly Burmese, were smuggled into the
country
every day.

Trafficking racketeers were contacted by businesses to bring in illegal
immigrants to work in jobs Thais do not want.

Mr Wasant said the demand for foreign workers is high in Samut Sakhon,
Samut
Songkhram, Samut Prakan and other border provinces. Without health
checks,
the immigrants are also found to be disease carriers, with malaria and
elephantiasis the most prevalent.