On 20th January (or in just 8 working days) the end of the
\n\u201cpermission to stay and work in Thailand for one year, pending
\ndeportation\u201d for 61, 543 Burmese, Cambodian and Laotian migrants who
\n\u201cillegally\u201d entered the country will arrive. As the first migrant
\nwork permit renewal deadline of the year it is somewhat different to
\npast deadlines however. For if any of these workers refuse to go
\nthrough the Royal Thai Government\u2019s (RTG) Nationality Verification
\n(NV) process, policy announcements suggest they will be deported.
\nWhether deportation starts then or on 28th February (the \u201cfinal\u201d
\ndeadline to agree to NV or be deported for the other million or so
\nregistered migrants whose work permits expire on that day) remains
\nunclear.
\nOn 20th January (or in just 8 working days) the end of the
\n\u201cpermission to stay and work in Thailand for one year, pending
\ndeportation\u201d for 61, 543 Burmese, Cambodian and Laotian migrants who
\n\u201cillegally\u201d entered the country will arrive. As the first migrant
\nwork permit renewal deadline of the year it is somewhat different to
\npast deadlines however. For if any of these workers refuse to go
\nthrough the Royal Thai Government\u2019s (RTG) Nationality Verification
\n(NV) process, policy announcements suggest they will be deported.
\nWhether deportation starts then or on 28th February (the \u201cfinal\u201d
\ndeadline to agree to NV or be deported for the other million or so
\nregistered migrants whose work permits expire on that day) remains
\nunclear.
\n
\nNV is the RTG\u2019s policy to formalise the status of some of the
\napproximately 2 million migrants from Burma, Cambodian and Laos
\ncurrently working in Thailand. These workers contribute an estimated
\n5-6% of Thailand\u2019s GDP and make up around 5% of the nation\u2019s
\nworkforce. For these workers who work in Thailand\u2019s most dangerous,
\ndirty and demeaning jobs, NV is apparently required because they left
\ntheir countries without permission and entered Thailand “illegally”.
\nThey are currently nationality-less labourers. As around 90% of these
\nworkers are from Burma and in the most unenviable position of all,
\nurgent attention must be given to this group.<\/p>\n
Migrants from Burma have since 2008 been given a clear choice by the
\nRTG. Whatever their ethnicity or personal histories, they must send
\ntheir biographical details to the Burmese government and see if it
\nagrees that they are \u201cBurmese.\u201d If \u201cno,\u201d no-one yet knows what
\nwould happen to them as the RTG has yet to make any policy
\nannouncements on this issue and it is unclear where they could be
\ndeported to. But if \u201cyes,\u201d they can request permission from the
\nMinistry of Interior to leave their province of registration and
\nreturn for NV in Burma (N.b. Cambodian and Laotian workers have the
\nluxury of their officials coming to see them in Thailand, but Burma
\nhas for years refused such a sensible step giving the RTG an
\nunderstandable headache!). If once migrants arrive in Burma they are
\nnot arrested (rumours continue to abound they will be) and are
\n\u201capproved\u201d of as being Burmese, they will get a 3-year 100 Baht
\n(3, 000 kyat) \u201ctemporary\u201d passport. These \u201cBurmese\u201d nationals
\nthen return to Thailand \u201clegally\u201d and receive a 500 baht 2-year
\nvisa. Total costs 600 baht.<\/p>\n
However, the NV process is not as easy as it seems. It is 13-steps,
\ninvolving at least 3 Thai ministries, the Burmese embassy in Bangkok
\nand a few more Burmese ministries. Unless you like adventure,
\nemployers and migrants are well advised to hire a broker for the
\njourney. According to a Ministry of Labour\u2019s (MoL\u2019s) statement on
\n22nd December 2009 in response to a Thai PBS documentary on these
\nbrokers, the ever increasing number of broker companies are approved
\nby the Burmese Embassy and have nothing to do with the MoL. This is
\ndespite the fact they are all based in and registered in Thailand.<\/p>\n
Costs for NV increase from around 600 Baht to 6, 000 Baht with a
\nbroker. And that does not include the yearly fees for a work permit
\n(1, 800), health check up (600 baht) and health insurance (1, 300
\nbaht). For migrants who often earn as little as 4 – 5, 000 baht per
\nmonth, it\u2019s a small fortune most would prefer to send to their
\nfamilies in Burma. Most still have not paid off debts for the last
\nwork permit renewal. Costs are just one part of the equation however.
\nSecurity risks associated with the involvement of the Burmese
\ngovernment in NV weigh heavily on migrant\u2019s minds, as does the
\nsuspected relationship between NV and the 2010 Burmese elections.<\/p>\n
However there seems to be more pressing problems. The MoL has yet to
\nannounce its policy on renewal of migrant work permits that expire on
\n20th January or 28th February 2010. The RTG has also yet to officially
\nannounce what it will do given that as a result of high costs, lack of
\ntransparency, perceived insecurity, multi-layered bureaucracy and a
\nlack of public awareness (by both migrants and employers) associated
\nwith NV, in almost one year only around 6, 000 migrants from Burma
\nhave completed the process. In addition, NV relates just to the 1
\nmillion plus migrants currently \u201cregistered.\u201d There are at least a
\nmillion more workers \u201cunregistered.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Alien Workers Management Committee (AWMC) apparently decided on
\n21st December 2009 that it would submit the following recommendations
\nto the Cabinet to deal with this unfortunate mess: (1) An extension of
\nNV from Feb 28th 2010 for 2 years to allow all those concerned to get
\ntheir act together and make NV a success; (2) Only migrants who are
\ncurrently registered and agree to NV should be allowed to stay in
\nThailand and renew their work permits during these 2 years. For
\nothers, mass deportation presumably starts?<\/p>\n
The RTG seems to be making it clear that 28th February 2010 is the end
\nof the era of year on year piecemeal migrant registration in Thailand
\nand the move to NV. Thailand will no longer allow the country to be
\noverrun by \u201cillegal\u201d migrants and all import and export of
\nmigrants must now be formalised between governments. MoUs with
\nCambodia, Laos and Burma must be made to work effectively. All eyes
\nare now on the Cabinet (perhaps during the meeting on 12th January)
\nwhere the AWMC recommendations shall either be approved, modified or
\nrejected.<\/p>\n
HRDF\u2019s Migrant Justice Programme (MJP) comes into contact daily with
\nmigrants from Burma whose work permits expire on 20th January. Fear,
\nsleepless nights and stress is building in migrant communities. What
\nif work permits are not renewed, especially for the significant number
\nof migrants who have been working and living in Thailand for more than
\n10 years now? Migrants are considering if they shall have to go
\nunderground within days, or even just give up with a free deportation
\njourney home to Burma to start a new chapter in their confusing lives.<\/p>\n
As usual, the policy decision from the Cabinet is keenly awaited by
\nmigrant communities from Burma and makes once again for their
\nprecarious existence. But this year the executive decision is later
\nthan usual in coming. If all this is formalised on 12th January that
\nleaves just 5 working days for over 60, 000 migrants (if they have
\nagreed to NV) to renew their work permits. Migrants, employers and
\nofficials feel a last-minute administrative headache coming on again.<\/p>\n
But more worryingly, is 20th January also the first round of mass
\ndeportations of those migrants who refuse to go through NV, with the
\nsecond round coming soon after on 28th February? At MJP, we also hear
\ndaily what migrants who refuse to go through NV think about returning
\nto life in Burma. Given many refusing to go through NV are from
\nBurma\u2019s ethnic minorities, we hear about their past lives in Shan,
\nKaren or Mon States. We also hear what they think about going
\nunderground again and the pressures on them as being for years the
\nbreadwinner\u2019s for their families.<\/p>\n
Which leaves us too eagerly awaiting the RTG\u2019s policy regarding the
\npotentially mass deportations of such huge numbers of migrants,
\nespecially after the recent international attention given to Hmong and
\nRohingya incidents. We receive some comfort from Thailand\u2019s
\nstatement in the UN\u2019s Human Rights Council on 2nd June 2009 in which
\nit said \u201cThailand attaches importance to the rights of all migrant
\nworkers, and well recognizes their valuable contribution to our labour
\nmarket.\u201d But the recent return home of thousands of Hmong sends a
\nshiver up our spines. We are concerned at this time not only for our
\nfriends and our communities, but also for employers and the Thai
\neconomy, which continues to be heavily dependent on these workers.<\/p>\n
Mass deportation is surely not possible, right? But if mass
\ndeportation did go ahead, would the government ensure it was
\n\u201creal\u201d deportation and not the usual arrest and costly release
\nprocesses we have all seen for years? Would migrants return to
\nThailand on the same day as they were deported to Burma and things go
\non as normal?<\/p>\n
The migrant worker issue in Thailand will in 2010 take on increased
\nimportance. Let\u2019s hope that the winners are migrants, their
\nemployers and the economy, and the losers irregular migration,
\nbureaucracy, lack of transparency and even violence.<\/p>\n
Managing Migration in 2010: Effective Registration or Effective
\nDeportation?<\/p>\n
Andy Hall: Director, the Human Rights and Development Foundation\u2019s
\n(HRDF) Migrant Justice Programme (MJP)
\nNV is the RTG\u2019s policy to formalise the status of some of the
\napproximately 2 million migrants from Burma, Cambodian and Laos
\ncurrently working in Thailand. These workers contribute an estimated
\n5-6% of Thailand\u2019s GDP and make up around 5% of the nation\u2019s
\nworkforce. For these workers who work in Thailand\u2019s most dangerous,
\ndirty and demeaning jobs, NV is apparently required because they left
\ntheir countries without permission and entered Thailand “illegally”.
\nThey are currently nationality-less labourers. As around 90% of these
\nworkers are from Burma and in the most unenviable position of all,
\nurgent attention must be given to this group.<\/p>\n
Migrants from Burma have since 2008 been given a clear choice by the
\nRTG. Whatever their ethnicity or personal histories, they must send
\ntheir biographical details to the Burmese government and see if it
\nagrees that they are \u201cBurmese.\u201d If \u201cno,\u201d no-one yet knows what
\nwould happen to them as the RTG has yet to make any policy
\nannouncements on this issue and it is unclear where they could be
\ndeported to. But if \u201cyes,\u201d they can request permission from the
\nMinistry of Interior to leave their province of registration and
\nreturn for NV in Burma (N.b. Cambodian and Laotian workers have the
\nluxury of their officials coming to see them in Thailand, but Burma
\nhas for years refused such a sensible step giving the RTG an
\nunderstandable headache!). If once migrants arrive in Burma they are
\nnot arrested (rumours continue to abound they will be) and are
\n\u201capproved\u201d of as being Burmese, they will get a 3-year 100 Baht
\n(3, 000 kyat) \u201ctemporary\u201d passport. These \u201cBurmese\u201d nationals
\nthen return to Thailand \u201clegally\u201d and receive a 500 baht 2-year
\nvisa. Total costs 600 baht.<\/p>\n
However, the NV process is not as easy as it seems. It is 13-steps,
\ninvolving at least 3 Thai ministries, the Burmese embassy in Bangkok
\nand a few more Burmese ministries. Unless you like adventure,
\nemployers and migrants are well advised to hire a broker for the
\njourney. According to a Ministry of Labour\u2019s (MoL\u2019s) statement on
\n22nd December 2009 in response to a Thai PBS documentary on these
\nbrokers, the ever increasing number of broker companies are approved
\nby the Burmese Embassy and have nothing to do with the MoL. This is
\ndespite the fact they are all based in and registered in Thailand.<\/p>\n
Costs for NV increase from around 600 Baht to 6, 000 Baht with a
\nbroker. And that does not include the yearly fees for a work permit
\n(1, 800), health check up (600 baht) and health insurance (1, 300
\nbaht). For migrants who often earn as little as 4 – 5, 000 baht per
\nmonth, it\u2019s a small fortune most would prefer to send to their
\nfamilies in Burma. Most still have not paid off debts for the last
\nwork permit renewal. Costs are just one part of the equation however.
\nSecurity risks associated with the involvement of the Burmese
\ngovernment in NV weigh heavily on migrant\u2019s minds, as does the
\nsuspected relationship between NV and the 2010 Burmese elections.<\/p>\n
However there seems to be more pressing problems. The MoL has yet to
\nannounce its policy on renewal of migrant work permits that expire on
\n20th January or 28th February 2010. The RTG has also yet to officially
\nannounce what it will do given that as a result of high costs, lack of
\ntransparency, perceived insecurity, multi-layered bureaucracy and a
\nlack of public awareness (by both migrants and employers) associated
\nwith NV, in almost one year only around 6, 000 migrants from Burma
\nhave completed the process. In addition, NV relates just to the 1
\nmillion plus migrants currently \u201cregistered.\u201d There are at least a
\nmillion more workers \u201cunregistered.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Alien Workers Management Committee (AWMC) apparently decided on
\n21st December 2009 that it would submit the following recommendations
\nto the Cabinet to deal with this unfortunate mess: (1) An extension of
\nNV from Feb 28th 2010 for 2 years to allow all those concerned to get
\ntheir act together and make NV a success; (2) Only migrants who are
\ncurrently registered and agree to NV should be allowed to stay in
\nThailand and renew their work permits during these 2 years. For
\nothers, mass deportation presumably starts?<\/p>\n
The RTG seems to be making it clear that 28th February 2010 is the end
\nof the era of year on year piecemeal migrant registration in Thailand
\nand the move to NV. Thailand will no longer allow the country to be
\noverrun by \u201cillegal\u201d migrants and all import and export of
\nmigrants must now be formalised between governments. MoUs with
\nCambodia, Laos and Burma must be made to work effectively. All eyes
\nare now on the Cabinet (perhaps during the meeting on 12th January)
\nwhere the AWMC recommendations shall either be approved, modified or
\nrejected.<\/p>\n
HRDF\u2019s Migrant Justice Programme (MJP) comes into contact daily with
\nmigrants from Burma whose work permits expire on 20th January. Fear,
\nsleepless nights and stress is building in migrant communities. What
\nif work permits are not renewed, especially for the significant number
\nof migrants who have been working and living in Thailand for more than
\n10 years now? Migrants are considering if they shall have to go
\nunderground within days, or even just give up with a free deportation
\njourney home to Burma to start a new chapter in their confusing lives.<\/p>\n
As usual, the policy decision from the Cabinet is keenly awaited by
\nmigrant communities from Burma and makes once again for their
\nprecarious existence. But this year the executive decision is later
\nthan usual in coming. If all this is formalised on 12th January that
\nleaves just 5 working days for over 60, 000 migrants (if they have
\nagreed to NV) to renew their work permits. Migrants, employers and
\nofficials feel a last-minute administrative headache coming on again.<\/p>\n
But more worryingly, is 20th January also the first round of mass
\ndeportations of those migrants who refuse to go through NV, with the
\nsecond round coming soon after on 28th February? At MJP, we also hear
\ndaily what migrants who refuse to go through NV think about returning
\nto life in Burma. Given many refusing to go through NV are from
\nBurma\u2019s ethnic minorities, we hear about their past lives in Shan,
\nKaren or Mon States. We also hear what they think about going
\nunderground again and the pressures on them as being for years the
\nbreadwinner\u2019s for their families.<\/p>\n
Which leaves us too eagerly awaiting the RTG\u2019s policy regarding the
\npotentially mass deportations of such huge numbers of migrants,
\nespecially after the recent international attention given to Hmong and
\nRohingya incidents. We receive some comfort from Thailand\u2019s
\nstatement in the UN\u2019s Human Rights Council on 2nd June 2009 in which
\nit said \u201cThailand attaches importance to the rights of all migrant
\nworkers, and well recognizes their valuable contribution to our labour
\nmarket.\u201d But the recent return home of thousands of Hmong sends a
\nshiver up our spines. We are concerned at this time not only for our
\nfriends and our communities, but also for employers and the Thai
\neconomy, which continues to be heavily dependent on these workers.<\/p>\n
Mass deportation is surely not possible, right? But if mass
\ndeportation did go ahead, would the government ensure it was
\n\u201creal\u201d deportation and not the usual arrest and costly release
\nprocesses we have all seen for years? Would migrants return to
\nThailand on the same day as they were deported to Burma and things go
\non as normal?<\/p>\n
The migrant worker issue in Thailand will in 2010 take on increased
\nimportance. Let\u2019s hope that the winners are migrants, their
\nemployers and the economy, and the losers irregular migration,
\nbureaucracy, lack of transparency and even violence.<\/p>\n
Managing Migration in 2010: Effective Registration or Effective
\nDeportation?<\/p>\n
Andy Hall: Director, the Human Rights and Development Foundation\u2019s
\n(HRDF) Migrant Justice Programme (MJP)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 20th January (or in just 8 working days) the end of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-13"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrdfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}