CNI News
30 December 2023
Myanmar embassy officials in Thailand should conduct reformations in helping Myanmar workers, Thai-based organizations helping migrant workers told CNI News.
So, committees should be formed to help and solve the affairs of Myanmar migrant workers in many parts of the Thai border area, Ko Naing Naing Aung, director of the Arakan Workers Organizations, told CNI News.
" The Embassy needs to form a committee. That committee should contain individuals from the places where most of Myanmar migrant workers are staying. Moreover, the government needs a fund when solving the problems of the migrant workers. The embassy is taking money from the workers in many ways such as renewals. A lot of money from them is not needed but to collect 10 percent out of their money is just needed to establish a fund that can help the workers. Now there are many Myanmar workers who want to go home because they are not healthy, but they don't have enough money to return. Some governments take responsibility for that sort of thing. The Myanmar Embassy isn't interested in that sort of thing. They always say that they don't have enough staff." he said.
Myanmar Embassy in Thailand tend to carry out the cases that make a good reputation, pointed out the organizations helping migrant workers.
In comparison with other foreign migrant workers, Myanmar migrant workers suffer more human rights violations because Myanmar embassy officials are weak in helping, they said.
Currently, Myanmar embassy officials have not been able to tackle the problems of Myanmar workers across Thailand, U Moe Kyaw, joint secretary of the Yaung Gyi Oo Workers Organization, told CNI News.
" There is an embassy. there are embassy officials. But it's not enough yet. There must be mechanisms that solve problems in each region. Myanmar workers are working in Mahachiang, Phukhet and in the border area, there are Maesot and Ranong. Only If we can carry out mechanisms in these places, can we help in the affairs of the workers. Regionally occurring labor issues are not solved on the ground by the embassy officials. But they might help in the places where they can reach." said U Moe Kyaw.
However, according to the current situation, it was not easy to form committees nationally to help solve the problems of Myanmar workers across the country, said the organizations helping Myanmar migrant workers.
If the committees like that were formed regionally, Myanmar migrant workers whose rights are violated probably will decrease, which the organizations are considering.
The problems Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand are mainly facing are being underpaid, rights violations at workplaces, and being fired for no reason reportedly from the organizations.
