[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
The Nation (11/11/99)
<html>
<font face="arial" size=4><b>Round-up of all illegal immigrants<br>
</font></b><font size=3>POLICE will tomorrow begin a major crackdown on
illegal immigrants of all nationalities around the Bangkok metropolitan
area, a decisive measure to end growing violence and crime attributed to
foreign migrants. <br>
Speaking after a two-hour meeting of senior police officers from around
the greater Bangkok area, Bangkok Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Wannarat
Kojcharat said many illegal immigrants have been creating problems for
Thai people. <br>
Many of them have formed underworld gangs, using Thai soil to settle
problems from back home or committing various serious criminal
activities, he added. <br>
''Metropolitan Police Headquarters decided that we need to take decisive
measures to deal with illegal immigrants. The meeting agreed that the
measure will be taken against illegal immigrants of all nationalities and
the major crackdown will start on Nov 12,'' Wannarat said. <br>
The initial sweep of the city will last a week, but the measure will be
ongoing and gradually intensify, he said. All police stations in Bangkok
will closely monitor the operation, he added. <br>
Wannarat said the police are serious in the crackdown and will take
action against anybody, no matter whether they are politicians or
officers in uniform, who abets or provides sanctuary to illegal
immigrants. <br>
''Nobody is above the law. If there is evidence that a person is found to
be involved in some illegal activities with the immigrants, the police
will take decisive action against him,'' the police general said. <br>
The crackdown and deportation will target illegal persons of all
nationalities without discrimination, he said. <br>
''I want to stress that this is not targeting only illegal Burmese or
Cambodians, but people from everywhere,'' said Wannarat. <br>
''The action will be closely monitored and supervised by higher
authorities as there might be some influential people who want to
obstruct low-ranking police forces from performing their duties,'' he
added. <br>
He said a unit of police will be established to follow the operation and
to collect intelligence information about illegal immigrants. <br>
Pol Maj Gen Chongrak Chuthanond, Wannarat's deputy, said those who
provide shelter to immigrants whose visa permit expires, could, according
to 1979 Immigration Law, face up to two years imprisonment or a Bt20,000
fine, or both. <br>
Those who provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants could face up to five
years imprisonment and a Bt50,000 fine. <br>
Persons who smuggle immigrants into the country could face up to 10 years
of imprisonment and a Bt100,000 fine. <br>
Supreme Commander Gen Mongkol Ampornpisit said the military stands ready
to assist the government in deporting illegal migrant workers. <br>
''Thailand is for the Thai people. I have heard that in many factories,
neither the owner nor the workers are Thai. It's an illegal activity.
Nobody in Thailand can work outside rules or regulations,'' he said.
<br>
''In some areas, a new community [of illegal immigrants] has emerged
outside the supervision or control of the authority. In some provinces,
we find that in certain areas nobody speaks Thai at all. Do we want that
kind of situation?'' said Mongkol. <br>
In the northwestern border town of Mae Sot in Tak province, factory
owners and agro-industry businessmen who employ illegal Burmese workers,
have threatened to organise major protests against the government's
decision to deport the Burmese. <br>
They also planned to stage a protest when Labour Minister Wut Sukosol
visits the district in the next few days. <br>
Yesterday, factory owners in Mae Sot led by Panithi Tangphati, president
of Tak Chamber of Commerce, mobilised and transported some 600 Burmese to
the Mae Sot District Office where they submitted a protest letter urging
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to stop the arrest and deportation of
illegal Burmese migrants. They also called for leniency towards their
employment. <br>
The Burmese protest nearly provoked a fight when a group of some 300
Thais in Mae Sot gathered to oppose the employment of the Burmese force.
Using a loudspeaker, the latter said Burmese labour threatened Thai
national security and urged people who want to employ Burmese to move
their business interests across the border. <br>
Local Mae Sot police and volunteer forces intervened to break up their
confrontation. <br>
The Army's Third Region Commander Lt Gen Wattanachai Chaimeunwong
yesterday said commercial and industrial businesses that employ Burmese
should reconsider their stance and support the government's crackdown
policy. <br>
He also pointed out that of the 150 factories in Tak province only about
50 are registered legally. <br>
Wattanachai said the Army will cooperate fully with the government in
implementing their crackdown plan and will help prevent deportees from
returning. <br>
He said the most effective deportation measure is to send the Burmese
quietly back through some unspecified border areas. <br>
The Nation<br>
</font>--------------------
<BR>
</html>