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Chuan resolute on worker repatriati
Subject: Chuan resolute on worker repatriation
Malaria threat to soldiersWassana Nanuam - Bangkok Post 10 January 2000The
resurgence of malaria in border areas is causing major concern in the
military as it poses a serious health threat to soldiers posted to the
areas.Lt-Gen Preeyapas Nilubol, chief of Medical Department, said the
situation in Tak, along the Burmese border-especially Mae Ramat, Tha Song
Yang, Umphang and Phop Phra-was particularly worrisome.The situation on the
border with Cambodia where refugees shelter was also a problem.He blamed the
spread of the disease on refugees from Burma and Cambodia. As long as they
remained there soldiers would be exposed to a grave health threat, he said.
The troops were also at fault for ignoring precautions against infection,
despite warnings.The department was testing a new drug called tafenoquine
and results had so far been satisfactory, he said.One dose of tafenoquine a
month was about 97% effective and the department was considering testing its
use on a weekly basis.Doxycycline is commonly used to treat malaria, but the
drug becomes less effective after being used for a time, he said.It was also
announced the spread of HIV infection in the army has declined from 3.7% of
soldiers in 1993 to 1.6% last year.
Chuan resolute on worker repatriation
Security cited but changes are mooted ? Bangkok Post 10 January 2000
Speaking in this northern province heavily reliant on Burmese labour, Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday insisted that all illegal labour will have
to be repatriated.
Mr Chuan, who visited to hand out blankets to villagers facing the cold,
said for security reasons and to prevent social problems the government will
not change its policy to send illegal foreign workers home.
"It is the same with Thai workers overseas. If they are found to have been
working illegally in other countries, they are sent back home. It is the
same policy that we are following," he said.
The government's decision to crack down on illegal Burmese workers, on whom
the border provinces rely on for labour for their factories, has upset the
business community.
The decision followed Thailand's economic meltdown, rising social problems
and crimes connected to Burmese workers, and the seizure of the Burmese
embassy by Burmese students last October.
Asked if the repatriation policy had proven to be a failure since Burmese
workers simply sneaked back into Thailand, Mr Chuan said that reports from
officials in charge of securing the policy have indicated progress.
He said that in the past employers thought the government would relax the
policy and rehired workers who sneaked back. However, when it became clear
the government was serious about the issue, employers were now reluctant to
hire foreign labour.
However, he said that in the future, the private sector will need legal
foreign labour-and consequently the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry has
been ordered to study the issue.
"If there are no Thais to fill the job vacancies, employers could tell the
Labour Ministry how much foreign labour they need, in what type of jobs and
how long they will be hired. But they will also have to say how, in the long
term, they plan to use Thai labour to replace foreign labour," he said.
He added the government was considering a proposal to allow Burmese workers
to use border passes to come to work in Thailand on a daily basis.
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