New form to hire migrant workers issued

On 9 December, a report from the meeting of the Thai cabinet stated that the relevant authorities must issue ministerial regulations and procedure for registering Burmese migrant workers.

According to the report, the Ministry of Interior is authorized to issue regulations for the verification of Burmese nationals in Thailand and in Burma in order to allow them to reside and work as laborers in Thailand. It also said that the visa fee shall be reduced from 2,000 Baht to 500 Baht.

However, no information has reached most employers and workers yet, according to Sai Yawd from the Chiangmai based Workers Solidarity Association (WSA).

“Our employers haven’t told anything to us concerning this document. We are still afraid to believe this new information due to lessons learnt from the past,” he said.

“We are wondering whether the Thai authorities will take back our existing work-permit card if we fill up this form. We are also worried if the Burmese authorities will use our information and persecute our families.”

Similarly, no activities from the Burmese authorities have started yet due to Thailand’s internal political instability, according to an official source from Nay Pyi Taw.

The form for submitting the national verification are available at provincial employment offices where photos and the print of left finger of the worker concerned will be taken and sent to Migrant Worker Importation Regulation Division which in turn will forward to the Burmese government through diplomatic channels for each migrant worker to travel to Myanmar National Verification Center at Tachilek, Myawaddy and Kawthawng at the Thai-Burma border, according to S.H.A.N report on 17 November.

A Burmese migrant worker who wants to apply for a new passport document has to give his/her background information, ID card, and a recommendation letter from his/her boss or business owner, said the source.