Suu Kyi wants better deal for migrants

Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday voiced concerns over the costly process of nationality verification (NV) for Myanmar migrant workers.

Let’s hear it for the workers

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, far right, at Government House yesterday to discuss the status of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

She also brought up the plight of one million non-registered migrants with senior officials.

Mrs Suu Kyi, leader of the Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), raised the issues during her talks with Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung.

The two politicians also discussed collaboration in suppressing the drugs trade, officials said.

Mr Chalerm pledged the government will do its best to provide Myanmar migrant workers with the same level of welfare as it does for Thai workers.

After her discussion with Mr Chalerm, Mrs Suu Kyi travelled to Samut Sakhon again to visit the NV centre in the province, home to about 400,000 migrants.

Just as on her first trip to the province on Wednesday, the Nobel laureate was greeted by thousands of workers who queued up for hours before her arrival.

Suu Kyi: Concerns

She shook hands with some of them, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Among those who had gathered to greet Mrs Suu Kyi was a 35-year-old worker at an ice mill in Rangsit who is from Karen state inside Myanmar.

He said he paid 5,000 baht to get registered and obtain a purple passport, which enables him to live and work in Thailand legally, even though the cost of the passport is actually 550 baht.

He said all migrant workers had to pay several times the real cost of passport and registration to brokers.

The crowds sang the Myanmar national anthem and chanted ''Me Suu (Mother Suu)'' and ''Let Suu Kyi Live Together with the Myanmar People'' before Mrs Suu Kyi went on to the balcony of the centre to deliver a 20-minute speech to a euphoric audience.

She told the crowd about appeals by activist groups in Thailand who pleaded with her to help foster democracy inside Myanmar so that exiles and migrant workers could return to their homeland.

''Don't return home just yet, I will first try to resolve problems at home. Our home will not escape to anywhere, Myanmar is still here,'' Mrs Suu Kyi told the crowd.

''I don't know how long it will take, but I'll do my best to help you return.''

She told workers that she knew about how brokers took advantage of workers in helping them to get registered and find work in Thailand, and she pledged to take care of the issue so that workers would not have to continue to pay unnecessarily high prices.

''I hope you will be happy during your stay here and do not quarrel. Think as if you are in your home here, and we will be well. Don't create any disputes,'' she said in her final words.

Samut Sakhon governor Junlaphat Sangchan pledged to Mrs Suu Kyi that he would try to end the exploitation of workers by brokers and employers.

Watchara Waewdum, a member of the Committee on Foreign Labour Administration, said Mrs Suu Kyi was concerned that the registration and NV process was too complicated for uneducated migrant workers, who then become easy prey for brokers.

Mr Watchara said the committee will propose that the cabinet set up a working group to study social security payments for migrant workers.

MP Anussorn Kraiwatnussorn told Mrs Suu Kyi that he would propose the Labour Ministry follow the Samut Sakhon model by expanding the registration and NV process so that illegal workers could be legalised.

Meanwhile, Tak governor Suriya Prasartbundit said authorities are increasing security for Mrs Suu Kyi's visit to Mae La camp in Tha Song Yang district. She is expected to have lunch at the camp and meet migrant workers.

The governor said that while it is too early to discuss the repatriation of Karen refugees, he expects the process to be initiated as soon as security and stability within Myanmar is achieved.

Ref: BangkokPost

Posted in: 06. THAI