Situation of Burmese Migrant workers in Thailand

Background Situation Burma’s political and economic situation has deteriorated since the current military regime came into power in 1988. The military government’s lack of an integrated policy, mismanagement of the economy and practice of corruption within the whole government mechanism, has fueled the worsening economic situation.
Due to the country’s economic crisis and the hardships of daily survival, massive Burmese populations began flowing into Thailand and looking for jobs as migrant laborers.

The recent surge in inflation has also created a devastating economic situation in Burma, further contributing to a rising number of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand. They are generally working in factories, fisheries, agriculture, farming, construction, entertainment and domestic sectors. In addition, the military regime’s violations of human rights, which includes rape, torture, imprisonment and the use of forced and unpaid labour, has forced the people to take refuge along the border areas and in neighboring countries, particularly in Thailand.

Estimated number of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand

There are some one and a half million Burmese migrant workers in Thailand, as various reports have estimated. In Mae Sot, Tak near the Thai-Burma border, there are some 100,000 Burmese migrants working in various industries, mostly in garment and textile factories. More than 200 garment and textile factories are located in Mae Sot.

Thailand is not a party of the key international conventions concerning international migration, and its domestic policy development is not comprehensive; as a result, its migration policies and programmes are marked by omissions and ambiguities. Government policies in Thailand do not accord full rights to migrant workers, including such basic rights as education, movement and free association. The lack of rights for migrant workers often leads to abuse, exploitation and trafficking.

All workers in Thailand are protected by the National Labor Laws of Thailand, but without registration, employers can have migrants arrested and deported by immigration authorities before the migrants can organize a case against the employer. Migrants are only allowed to work for the employer named on the card, in the place and type of work designated on the card. They are not allowed to change employers unless they are re-registered with a new employer, paying another full registration fee. Migrants are also not allowed to travel in Thailand, registered or not. On paper, Thai and Burmese workers are equal, but in practice, this is far from reality. Burmese migrant workers in Thailand are prohibited by law from forming their own trade unions or acting as union committee members, so basic human rights such as the freedom of association and the right to form trade unions are systematically denied. Consequently, when some problems occur in the factory, workers cannot solve the problem themselves and they have to use the labor mechanism and legal process. While Thailand is seen as one of the more successful economies in Asia, the abhorrent conditions of its migrant workers is comparable to some of the worst in the world.