Burma Update

Bangkok Post, 8 April 2007

Fewer alien hands seek permit renewals
Poor labour rules are to blame

By Penchan Charoensuthipan

The number of documented migrant workers seeking work permit renewals has steadily declined as a result of poor labour regulations, a researcher said.

Krittiya Archawanitkul, from Mahidol University's Institute for Population and Social Research, told a recent seminar that the figures for alien labourers who renewed their work permit fell short of the state target.

Several factors were attributed to the decline, she said. The period for work permit renewals was in itself inconvenient for workers in certain sectors, particularly fishing crews.

Migrant workers on trawlers spent several months at sea, and some found it impossible to renew their work permits by deadline.

Others working in the farm sector stayed in Thailand for just a short time, only for the harvesting season. Ms Krittiya urged the Labour Ministry to take these factors into account in improving its regulations.

Many workers did not benefit from having work permits as their employers tended to seize the documents. This made it hard for ill migrant workers to make medical claims. The practice also put them at risk of being arrested as they could not produce the documents when asked by police.

In 2001, the number of documented alien workers from Burma, Laos and Cambodia stood at 568,249, and the following year it was 430,074. In 2003, the figure plunged to 288,780, but the number rose sharply to 838,943 in 2004 because, under a new regulation, accompanying family members were required to be registered.

As for last year, the number of documented migrant workers totalled 460,014. The number of workers seeking work permit renewals by the Feb 28 deadline was 137,107 from a total of 256,899, and for the June 30 deadline was 15,179 from 629,413 as of March.

Regarding health insurance, Ms Krittiya said the ministry should allow workers to have different rates of contribution, depending on their period of work, not the 1,800 baht flat rate which was unfair to those who work for short spells. That would ease the financial burden of both employers and migrant workers.

Labour Minister Apai Chanthanajulaka said she would reconsider registration standards for the fishing industry. The National Fisheries Association of Thailand asked for the change, to tackle a labour shortage.

President Phubet Chantanimi said migrant workers in the fishing sector should be able to seek or renew work permits any time, without having to meet a deadline, to ease labour shortages.

One of the main reasons why there is a labour shortage is that workers seek new employment without completing their term. He also called for tougher penalties for employers who accept undocumented labourers.