CNI News

28 June 2023

Thai authorities are mainly collecting money from Myanmar citizens rather than other foreigners,said those who are helping in the affairs of Myanmar migrant workers. 
Although Thai authorities had collected money from Myanmar citizens in the past, collecting money has increased now because Myanmar citizens always give them whenever they ask, the people helping migrants and migrants said to CNI.

As Myanmar citizens, if they stay and work in accord with the Thai laws, they don't have to give money, but because the number of Myanmar citizens without legal documents has increased lately, they have become a workplace for Thai authorities, said Ko Moe Lay who is working in Thailand to CNI.

a street bar in Thailand

" Mainly it's very difficult for migrants who illegally entered. They are collected, for example, 500 Baht each by Thai authorities with understanding but unofficially. And those who are selling goods or self-employed persons have to pay the Thai police." he said.

Myanmar migrant workers without legal documents need to pay 300 to 500 Baht to the Thai authorities concerned so as not to be arrested reportedly. Myanmar self-employed migrants, most of them with legal documents, street vendors, small restaurant owners and so on have to pay money to the Thai authorities depending on the business.

Because Myanmar citizens outnumber other citizens, Myanmar citizens are reportedly suffering from the corruption of Thai authorities most. Moreover,when Myanmar citizens are arrested or experience other situations, the solution by paying money should be reduced, said the people helping migrant workers.

Departmental officials from the two countries are responsible for decreasing collecting money from Myanmar citizens, they pointed out.

street vendors being arrested

"To get rid of these actions, the situations of the countries where migrant workers came from need to be stable and peaceful. The people and the government must be one and the same. There must be lots of job opportunities. The government of Thailand, the host country, must have the power to put down the corruption effectively so that its civil servants will abide by the law. Only when the countries concerned have peace and stability, democracy,just and fair, respect for the law,,these bad habits will die out." said U Aung Kyaw from Labour Right Foundation (LRF).

There are several million migrant workers in Thailand, including about two million legal Myanmar migrant workers and about 700, 000 illegal Myanmar migrant workers. Currently, Thai authorities are seeking and arresting illegal migrants and Foreign migrant workers who are selling goods are also arrested by the plan, said in the Thai news reports.