* Published: 21/01/2010 at 12:00 AM * Newspaper section: News
Migrant workers from Laos, Burma and Cambodia must apply for nationality verification by the end of next month even though the cabinet has extended the completion deadline by another two years.
The government initially set Feb 28 as the deadline for migrants to complete verification, but the cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the deadline to Feb 28, 2012.
Deputy director-general of the Employment Department Suphat Kukhun yesterday said migrant workers from Laos, Burma and Cambodia whose work permits were due to expire, mostly this month, must submit applications for nationality verification and temporary work permits by the end of next month. If they fail to do so, they would be regarded as illegal workers.
If caught, they could be arrested and deported. Observers say the nationality verification process by Lao and Cambodian officials has proceeded smoothly.
However, in the case of Burma, the verification process has been slow.
The whole process is expected to be completed within two years.
Mr Suphat said the government would take action against migrant workers who fail to apply for verification from Feb 28 onward.
The first target of the checks would be over 120,000 migrant workers who have registered with the government as migrants but have not yet applied for permits to work in Thailand.
Another group that would soon face examination are those applying for nationality verification but have not gone through the process, Mr Suphat said.
The verification process is a bilateral activity between Thailand and neigh bouring countries, he said.
Human rights activist Somchai Homlaor said non-governmental organisations working on labour and human rights issues were concerned that slow nationality verification, especially by Burma, could result in the verification for some migrants taking more than two years.
Mr Somchai also said authorised private companies offering to process verification for migrants had been demanding that Burmese migrants pay between 7,500 and 15,000 baht each, much more than the governmental agencies charge.
He urged the government to cap the private firms' service charges.
There are about 1.4 million migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia and Burma, Mr Somchai said, but only about 10,000 have gone through the verification process.
About 90% of the 1.4 million migrant workers are from Burma.
* Published: 21/01/2010 at 12:00 AM * Newspaper section: News
Migrant workers from Laos, Burma and Cambodia must apply for nationality verification by the end of next month even though the cabinet has extended the completion deadline by another two years.
The government initially set Feb 28 as the deadline for migrants to complete verification, but the cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the deadline to Feb 28, 2012.
Deputy director-general of the Employment Department Suphat Kukhun yesterday said migrant workers from Laos, Burma and Cambodia whose work permits were due to expire, mostly this month, must submit applications for nationality verification and temporary work permits by the end of next month. If they fail to do so, they would be regarded as illegal workers.
If caught, they could be arrested and deported. Observers say the nationality verification process by Lao and Cambodian officials has proceeded smoothly.
However, in the case of Burma, the verification process has been slow.
The whole process is expected to be completed within two years.
Mr Suphat said the government would take action against migrant workers who fail to apply for verification from Feb 28 onward.
The first target of the checks would be over 120,000 migrant workers who have registered with the government as migrants but have not yet applied for permits to work in Thailand.
Another group that would soon face examination are those applying for nationality verification but have not gone through the process, Mr Suphat said.
The verification process is a bilateral activity between Thailand and neigh bouring countries, he said.
Human rights activist Somchai Homlaor said non-governmental organisations working on labour and human rights issues were concerned that slow nationality verification, especially by Burma, could result in the verification for some migrants taking more than two years.
Mr Somchai also said authorised private companies offering to process verification for migrants had been demanding that Burmese migrants pay between 7,500 and 15,000 baht each, much more than the governmental agencies charge.
He urged the government to cap the private firms' service charges.
There are about 1.4 million migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia and Burma, Mr Somchai said, but only about 10,000 have gone through the verification process.
About 90% of the 1.4 million migrant workers are from Burma.
Over million people from Laos are working in Thailand. Why don't they go to work in Vietnam and China ? Why only Thailand ?
Better stop it thailand....who know Laos leaders might copy your method of how to deal with illegal workers. God know Laos has a lot of them.
Laos has a lot of them ( Vietnamese) but they don't work for Lao companies but they work for their own companies .Chinese workers work for Chinese companies and Vietnamese workers work for Vietnamese companies. Lao don't have any companies so Lao workers go to work for Thai companies in Thailand.
Over million people from Laos are working in Thailand. Why don't they go to work in Vietnam and China ? Why only Thailand ?
Better stop it thailand....who know Laos leaders might copy your method of how to deal with illegal workers. God know Laos has a lot of them.
Laos has a lot of them ( Vietnamese) but they don't work for Lao companies but they work for their own companies .Chinese workers work for Chinese companies and Vietnamese workers work for Vietnamese companies. Lao don't have any companies so Lao workers go to work for Thai companies in Thailand.
It does not matter whose companies as long as the companies are in Laos , those companies must hire Laotian first before hiring some one else . But the Chinese and Vietnamese companies brought their own workers and don't hire Laotian workers. That is bad policy and million of Laotian workers have to cross the Mekong river to work in Thailand.
Not sure If I should post my own opinion this time. Webmaster deleted my post regarding of another post for speaking out the truth. LOL!
-- Edited by BingBing on Monday 8th of February 2010 04:47:36 PM
I Like people who speak their mind like you & BLM. We need people like this in Laos. You got my green light, I want your opinion BingBing.
Be careful Mr laopeoplesarmy, who is now by the way posted as anonymous, does not tolerate anyone with mind of their own. Do not speak or think outside of the party line. He'll liquidate any one with voice of dissent! Resistance is futile!
Over million people from Laos are working in Thailand. Why don't they go to work in Vietnam and China ? Why only Thailand ?
There are about 1.4 million migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia and Burma, Mr Somchai said, but only about 10,000 have gone through the verification process.
About 90% of the 1.4 million migrant workers are from Burma.
which mean 10% of the 1.4 million migrant workers are from Laos and Cambodia. and 10% of the 1.4 million is 140,000 migrant workers from Laos and Cambodia combine.
