CNI News
9 Nov 2022
As Thai authorities have ordered a crackdown on foreigners who overstay their visas, Myanmar migrants in Thailand have been urged to renew their expired visas, labour activists told the CNI.
Amid daily arrests of undocumented migrants, the crackdown will lead to more arrests and overstaying Myanmar migrants are required to renew their visas, Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar migrant workers, told the CNI.
He told the CNI, “A large number of Myanmar migrants will be arrested because the largest number of migrants in Thailand are from Myanmar. Whether they hold tourist visas or business visas or work permits, authorities will check whether their documents are still valid. They can renew their visas easily without paying any fines even if they have overstayed for six months. but authorities do not extend their visas for one or two years and will permit them to stay in Thailand until 13th February, 2023. However, migrants whose visas have expired since March, 2021 will not be allowed to renew their visas and such migrants will be arrested and deported to Myanmar. If they are charged, they will not be allowed to enter Thailand for two years. Authorities will blacklist them by stamping in their passports and taking their finger prints for records.
Some Myanmar migrant workers in factories in Thailand renew their visas by themselves but there are some employers who help renew their workers’ visas.
Myanmar migrants in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand.
Near the end of every year, Thai authorities usually check visas of foreigners in accordance with their rules and regulations. Thai authorities treat foreigners as a source of revenue, U Ba Yee of the Migrant Workers’ Right Network told the CNI.
“Thai authorities see foreigners as a source of revenue. When their visas have almost expired, authorities warn them to renew their visas. They are made to pay new deposits. So, the government received a large sum of revenues.”
As the instructions do not refer to any kind of visas exactly, more arrests will be made at quarters resided by migrant workers, according to labour activists.
Ko Thar Gyi said, “Recently, arrests were made in Tak Province on a daily basis but authorities do not make any arrest on the full-moon day because Myanmar migrants went to pagodas and monasteries. I think they will target foreign workers in border areas. There will be more arrests.”
Moreover, the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok announced that it would issue the OWIC cards for Myanmar workers who applied for new passports for jobs as of 7th November.
Labour activists have warned Myanmar migrants of risks as authorities have launched a crackdown on undocumented migrant workers and overstaying foreigners.
