No.06 - 03/2006
5 March 2006

Human Rights

Shan migrants center formed to protect rights

Reporter: Tawngtai

Thailand's latest migrant workers registration policy has resulted in the formation of a center for legal assistance among the Shan migrant community to protect their rights, said the deputy secretary of the group.

The deputy secretary who asked not to be named told S.H.A.N. the Center for Legal Assistance was founded by a group of Shan migrant workers in Bangkok on 26 February, led by Sai Hsai Khong (Chairman), Sai Nawng (Deputy Chairman), Sai Tayza (Secretary) and himself.

According to the latest migrant workers registration policy announced on December 20, 2005 employers of migrant workers who had registered in 2004 but do not have work permits for 2006 must pay a 10,000 Baht($250) as insurance fee for each worker. As for those who had not registered in 2004, they must pay 50,000 Baht ($750) each.

The registration process started on 1 March 2006 until the end of this month.

"The fee is so expensive only one worker showed up at Bangkapi (district) and two at Din Daeng (district) during the first two days," said the deputy secretary quoting from the local TV news coverage. "In the past, the labor offices were packed with migrants during registration period", he added.

In Chiangmai, the capital city of northern Thailand, where there are over seventy thousand migrants residing, according to the Chiangmai labor department's 2004 figure, many of them have made calls to the Migrant Assistance Program (MAP) for consultation. "Most of them are worried that their employers may not bring them to register, but some asked why it was so expensive", said a member of MAP.

He added that there were only 5 migrants who went to register at the labor office in Chiangmai on the first day of registration.

"Now I am trying to save money to go back home, because my employer has already told me that she would not spend that amount of money for me," said Nang Si, a Shan migrant who works as a housemaid in Chiangmai.