In last Novermber, Thailand started a new visa policy to regulate re-entering of migrant workers for a certain period of time
The content of the regulation: "The policy states that one can only stay in Thailand for 90 days in a period of six months, after which one must leave the country and stay outside for another 90 days before they can re-enter."
Reason (1) Screening the movement of foriegners in Thailand: "who is coming and going, for how long, and with what frequency"
Reason (2) Sweeping out ill-mannered foriegn workers who are engaed with "human trafficking, paedophilia, child pornography and so on"
Reason (3) Promoting tougher immigration control on illegal migrant workers without valid status to work or to stay in Thailand
Intention: Doing a "visa run" - crossing one of the borders of Thailand into Burma, Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia is very often. Thailand probably created the new regulation to keep "sociopaths and criminals" away.
Problem: This regulation would hamper some humanitraian activites over borders, because they suffer from regsitration costs or inefficiency or inconveinence of renewal. On the other hand, sociopaths and criminals often shortly stay, and could be engaged with some syndicates, which meas this policy might be be so efficient.
*Oh, I feel headache, when I imagine how much Thailand immigration authorities are struggling with those kinds of criminals.
Resourece: "THAILAND COMMENTARY - NEW VISA REGULATIONS MAY NOT BE WELL THOUGHT OUT," Thai Press Report, November 9, 2006. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Inefficiency of documentation of migrant workers in Thailand
Accroding to Bankok Post, because labor regulation in Thailand on migrant workers is poor, documented migrant workers often neglect on renewing their legal status.
One researcher suggests some risks
Phenomenon: it is just inconvenient for the migrant workers in some particular industrial sectors such as fishery or agriculture to renew their status. Some of them have to work on the sea for several months. Some of them are just sesonal migrant workers only step by during harvest seasons.
(1) This might make them vulnerable to exploitation by their employers, because the employers can seize their documnets.
(2) Also, medical claims by undocumented people would be expensive.
(3) They would easily be arrested by police, because their legal status is illegal.
Statistical Transition of the Number of Documented Aliens from Burma, Laos and Cambodia.
2001 > 568,249
2002> 430,074
2003> 288,780
2004> 838,943 (this sharp increase was caused by new regulation that requires family member registration )
2005> 460,014
The National Fisheries Association of Thailand are suffering from its labor shortage, because ,,,
(1) undocumented migrant workers just seek new employment without completing their term.
(2) employers who accept undocumented labourers are to be punished.
(3) illegal migrant workers could be deported anytime.
*In my opinion, it seems so difficult to assume the cost to promote the documentation of illegal workers.
Resource: "THAILAND NUMBER OF MIGRANT WORKERS SEEKING WORK PERMIT RENEWALS STEADILY DECLINES DUE TO POOR LABOUR REGULATIONS, RESEARCHER SAYS" Thai Press Report, April 4, 2007. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/
One researcher suggests some risks
Phenomenon: it is just inconvenient for the migrant workers in some particular industrial sectors such as fishery or agriculture to renew their status. Some of them have to work on the sea for several months. Some of them are just sesonal migrant workers only step by during harvest seasons.
(1) This might make them vulnerable to exploitation by their employers, because the employers can seize their documnets.
(2) Also, medical claims by undocumented people would be expensive.
(3) They would easily be arrested by police, because their legal status is illegal.
Statistical Transition of the Number of Documented Aliens from Burma, Laos and Cambodia.
2001 > 568,249
2002> 430,074
2003> 288,780
2004> 838,943 (this sharp increase was caused by new regulation that requires family member registration )
2005> 460,014
The National Fisheries Association of Thailand are suffering from its labor shortage, because ,,,
(1) undocumented migrant workers just seek new employment without completing their term.
(2) employers who accept undocumented labourers are to be punished.
(3) illegal migrant workers could be deported anytime.
*In my opinion, it seems so difficult to assume the cost to promote the documentation of illegal workers.
Resource: "THAILAND NUMBER OF MIGRANT WORKERS SEEKING WORK PERMIT RENEWALS STEADILY DECLINES DUE TO POOR LABOUR REGULATIONS, RESEARCHER SAYS" Thai Press Report, April 4, 2007. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Burmese Immigration
Currently, there is serious tention between Thailand and Burma in term of mass influx of Burmese immigratns into Thailand, even though Thailand is the largest trading partner.
Closure of Thai-Burmese borders might be closed, because the securituy there is very fragile. Thai rangeron the borders got killed on March 21 in a grenade explosion, which proved the security there is problematic. A Thailand's immigration office that is away from only 50 meters was broken too. The area is also near conflict zone between the Burmese government and the Shan State Army (SSA).
"Immigration office raided as tensions on border persist"
Cheewin Sattha & Subin Kheunkaew. The Bangkok Post. Bangkok: Apr 1, 2007. pg. 1
Burmese immigrants can come to neighbering relatively developed countries. The way they come to those countries might be SMUGGLING. Thailand, Chiang Rai, is planning the Royal Flora Expo. There was an event that the local police intercepted a caravan of 10 vans taking almost 100 illegal Burmese immigrants to Chiang Mai. Accoringt to the resource that I picked up, they tend to work on construction sites and in factories.
4,000 baht makes drivers to "pick up the aliens at Mae Sai district and take them to the expo."
Some of the arrested Burmese claimed to have paid 4,000 baht each for the week-long tour to Chiang Mai. Illegal immigratns are only to be detained and deported.
However, people such as Burmese immigratns going to Thailands might support your county a lot.
"Illegal Burmese found in vans"
The Bangkok Post. Bangkok: Jan 8, 2007. pg. 1
Closure of Thai-Burmese borders might be closed, because the securituy there is very fragile. Thai rangeron the borders got killed on March 21 in a grenade explosion, which proved the security there is problematic. A Thailand's immigration office that is away from only 50 meters was broken too. The area is also near conflict zone between the Burmese government and the Shan State Army (SSA).
"Immigration office raided as tensions on border persist"
Cheewin Sattha & Subin Kheunkaew. The Bangkok Post. Bangkok: Apr 1, 2007. pg. 1
Burmese immigrants can come to neighbering relatively developed countries. The way they come to those countries might be SMUGGLING. Thailand, Chiang Rai, is planning the Royal Flora Expo. There was an event that the local police intercepted a caravan of 10 vans taking almost 100 illegal Burmese immigrants to Chiang Mai. Accoringt to the resource that I picked up, they tend to work on construction sites and in factories.
4,000 baht makes drivers to "pick up the aliens at Mae Sai district and take them to the expo."
Some of the arrested Burmese claimed to have paid 4,000 baht each for the week-long tour to Chiang Mai. Illegal immigratns are only to be detained and deported.
However, people such as Burmese immigratns going to Thailands might support your county a lot.
"Illegal Burmese found in vans"
The Bangkok Post. Bangkok: Jan 8, 2007. pg. 1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)