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Bkk post -Plan to train Thai worker

Subject: Bkk post -Plan to train Thai workers backfires

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      Bangkok post - Jan -8, 2000
      THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS


      Plan to train Thai workers backfires
      Wut told aliens too difficult to replace


      Supamart Kasem


      The plan to train Thai workers to replace illegal Burmese factory =
labour has failed, Labour Minister Wut Sukosol was told yesterday.

      About 80% of the locals who applied for jobs resigned before they =
finished training, Suchart Visuwan, president of the Tak Industrial =
Council, said.

      Many of those who completed the course and began work quit within =
two or three weeks, complaining about the hard work even though they =
were paid full wages and overtime pay.

      The minister was told about 30 factories had closed down since =
last August when the government began pushing illegal migrants back to =
Burma in order to make room for the unemployed Thais.

      Some operators had moved their machinery to Bangkok or other =
provinces far from the border and set up business by once again hiring =
illegal foreign workers.

      Panithi Tangpati, president of the Tak Chamber of Commerce, =
estimated losses to the local industrial sector stood at around four =
billion baht.

      In the agricultural sector, the damage was around one billion =
baht, he said. Huge crops of vegetables, roses and other products had =
been left to rot because there were no labourers to work the fields.

      Mr Panithi said the private sector in the province agreed in =
principle with the government's policy to repatriate illegal Burmese =
workers. However, the government should allow some leeway so businesses =
could hire Burmese workers as well as local labour at a ratio to be =
worked out.

      The Burmese could be issued border passes so they could cross into =
Thailand each day to work and return home at night.

      He understood the Burmese authorities tended to favour the border =
pass arrangement.

      The labour minister said the government's concern about the =
security threat posed by the large presence of illegal workers from =
Burma was justified but sympathised with local businesses and promised =
to raise their problems with the cabinet.

      An estimated one million illegal migrants from Burma worked in =
Thailand before the forced repatriation began, including about 30,000 in =
Tak alone as either farm hands or garment factory workers. Only about =
100,000 were officially allowed to remain, working in 18 categories of =
business in 37 provinces.
      =20


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      <CENTER><FONT color=3D#900000 face=3D"ARIAL, HELVETICA"><B>
      <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>Bangkok post -=20
      Jan -8, 2000</B></FONT></DIV>
      <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>THAI-BURMESE=20
      RELATIONS</B></FONT></DIV><BR></B></FONT></CENTER>
      <H1><!-- HEADLINE -->
      <H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D4>Plan to train Thai workers=20
      backfires</FONT></H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D+2><I>Wut told =
aliens too=20
      difficult to replace</I></FONT><BR><BR></H1>
      <P><FONT color=3D#000000><!--BYLINE--><B><FONT size=3D3>Supamart=20
      Kasem</FONT></B><BR>
      <P><FONT size=3D+2><B>T</B></FONT>he plan to train Thai workers to =
replace=20
      illegal Burmese factory labour has failed, Labour Minister Wut =
Sukosol was=20
      told yesterday.</P>
      <P>About 80% of the locals who applied for jobs resigned before =
they=20
      finished training, Suchart Visuwan, president of the Tak =
Industrial=20
      Council, said.</P>
      <P>Many of those who completed the course and began work quit =
within two=20
      or three weeks, complaining about the hard work even though they =
were paid=20
      full wages and overtime pay.</P>
      <P>The minister was told about 30 factories had closed down since =
last=20
      August when the government began pushing illegal migrants back to =
Burma in=20
      order to make room for the unemployed Thais.</P>
      <P>Some operators had moved their machinery to Bangkok or other =
provinces=20
      far from the border and set up business by once again hiring =
illegal=20
      foreign workers.</P>
      <P>Panithi Tangpati, president of the Tak Chamber of Commerce, =
estimated=20
      losses to the local industrial sector stood at around four billion =

      baht.</P>
      <P>In the agricultural sector, the damage was around one billion =
baht, he=20
      said. Huge crops of vegetables, roses and other products had been =
left to=20
      rot because there were no labourers to work the fields.</P>
      <P>Mr Panithi said the private sector in the province agreed in =
principle=20
      with the government's policy to repatriate illegal Burmese =
workers.=20
      However, the government should allow some leeway so businesses =
could hire=20
      Burmese workers as well as local labour at a ratio to be worked =
out.</P>
      <P>The Burmese could be issued border passes so they could cross =
into=20
      Thailand each day to work and return home at night.</P>
      <P>He understood the Burmese authorities tended to favour the =
border pass=20
      arrangement.</P>
      <P>The labour minister said the government's concern about the =
security=20
      threat posed by the large presence of illegal workers from Burma =
was=20
      justified but sympathised with local businesses and promised to =
raise=20
      their problems with the cabinet.</P>
      <P>An estimated one million illegal migrants from Burma worked in =
Thailand=20
      before the forced repatriation began, including about 30,000 in =
Tak alone=20
      as either farm hands or garment factory workers. Only about =
100,000 were=20
      officially allowed to remain, working in 18 categories of business =
in 37=20
      provinces.</P></FONT></TD>
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  width=3D13>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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